goodbye
Americaninterjection
noun
noun
-
a leave-taking; parting
they prolonged their goodbyes for a few more minutes
-
a farewell
they said goodbyes to each other
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of goodbye
First recorded in 1565–75; contraction of God be with ye
Explanation
Goodbye is a parting word, something you say to other people when you're leaving. You might say goodbye to all your favorite teachers on your last day of high school. A goodbye means that someone's departing: you say goodbye to your parents when you go off to college, and you also say goodbye to guests when they leave after a visit. The original goodbye, dating from the 1570s, was godbwye, which was a contraction of the farewell phrase "God be with ye!"
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.
Jared Grindlinger is not ready to say goodbye to his friends at Huntington Beach High.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2026
And it’s that type of generous, big-hearted love that makes the time between when we say goodbye and when we see each other again a little bit easier to bear.
From Salon • Jun. 2, 2026
France defender Ibrahima Konate is "deeply saddened" that he was unable to say goodbye to Liverpool supporters after confirmation he will leave the club this summer.
From BBC • May 31, 2026
Meanwhile, say goodbye to “Kim’s Convenience,” “Brockmire,” “Blindspot” and “Sex and the City,” all leaving by month’s end.
From MarketWatch • May 31, 2026
She was happier than I’d seen her in ages, and so was I. As we left the house that morning, she kissed me goodbye, and then whispered something in my ear as she hugged me.
From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo
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.
