good-night

[goo d-nahyt]

noun

a farewell or leave-taking: He said his good-nights before leaving the party.

good night

interjection

an expression of farewell used in parting at nighttime or when going to sleep.

Origin of good night

Middle English word dating back to 1325–75

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for good-night

Contemporary Examples of good-night

Then drawing on her gloves she offered me her hand, with a frank, “Good-night, Mr. Scott,” and walked out.
Read ‘The King in Yellow,’ the ‘True Detective’ Reference That’s the Key to the Show
Robert W. Chambers
February 20, 2014

Historical Examples of good-night

"Good-night, captain," said the superintendent, accompanying him to the door.
Brave and Bold
Horatio Alger
They never said How do you do, or Good-night—and Corney very ill too!
Weighed and Wanting
George MacDonald
When she got out of the car, she bade him good-night and good-bye.
K
Mary Roberts Rinehart
"Good-night, Christine," he said, and went into the hall and upstairs.
K
Mary Roberts Rinehart
"Oh, good-night," she said impatiently, suddenly breaking from him.
The Foolish Lovers
St. John G. Ervine

British Dictionary definitions for good-night

good night

sentence substitute

a conventional expression of farewell, or, rarely, of greeting, used in the late afternoon, the evening, or at night, esp when departing to bed

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with good-night

good night

Expression of farewell used when parting at night or when going to sleep, as in He stood at the door, saying good night to each of the departing guests, or Mother came to tuck the children in and kiss them good night. [Late 1300s]

Exclamation of surprise or irritation, as in Good night, Joe!—You can't mean what you said, or Good night, Anne—it's time you learned how to throw a ball. [Late 1800s]