greeting
Americannoun
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the act or words of a person who greets.
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a friendly message from someone who is absent.
a greeting from a friend in another country.
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greetings, an expression of friendly or respectful regard.
Send my greetings to your family.
noun
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the act or an instance of welcoming or saluting on meeting
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(often plural)
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an expression of friendly salutation
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( as modifier )
a greetings card
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Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of greeting
before 900; Middle English, Old English gretinge. See greet 1, -ing 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Chinese were careful to appeal to Trump's love of pomp, greeting him with marching bands, soldiers in lockstep and a cannon salute that echoed through Tiananmen Square.
From Barron's • May 14, 2026
"The handshake evolved very slowly as a mode of greeting and had no bearing on hat-honor as a gesture of deference," he says.
From Science Daily • May 7, 2026
“She walked into the visitation room unfazed that she was in prison, greeting the guards by name,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026
Farage had been paid to record the video as a wedding greeting.
From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026
Ella tried to distract herself by cleaning up the cages and greeting the different birds, but her thoughts swarmed in her head.
From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
