goodbye
Americaninterjection
noun
-
goodbyes
plural
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
Noun Inflected 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.
See Examples For:
"Javits Frimpong's mother deserves to say goodbye to her son in person. I just got off the phone with President Trump, and he has agreed to grant her visa immediately," he said.
From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026
Death is big business in Ivory Coast, where families are expected to say goodbye to their loved ones with massive, music-fuelled feasts tinged with moments of both joy and sadness.
From Barron's ● Nov. 4, 2026
But an emotional Velshi recalled that moment differently in June 2026, as he said goodbye to his old weekend show’s audience.
From Salon ● Nov. 2, 2026
Ian McKellen is saying goodbye to his dear friend Patrick Stewart.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2026
“That was an enthusiastic goodbye for someone who makes you feel that way.”
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
Then, on the earnings call, Hood priced the goodbyes.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 3, 2026
As we began our goodbyes, Miller conceded that her friend’s planned departure has been a blow.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2026
Relatives crouched on the floor to say their final goodbyes to loved ones, kissing the faces of the dead between sobs.
From Barron's ● Sep. 16, 2026
They are also all, he said, about a series of goodbyes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
After the Sunday-night service, folks said their goodbyes and thank-yous.
From "Moon Over Manifest" by Clare Vanderpool
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
