goodbye

American  

[good-bahy] / ˌgʊdˈbaɪ /

Sometimes goodby, or good-bye

interjection

1. farewell (a conventional expression used at parting).

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noun

plural

goodbyes

1. a farewell.

goodbye British  

/ ˌɡʊdˈbaɪ /

1. farewell: a conventional expression used at leave-taking or parting with people and at the loss or rejection of things or ideas

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noun

1. a leave-taking; parting

   they prolonged their goodbyes for a few more minutes

2. a farewell

   they said goodbyes to each other

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

Ahmad was in a hurry that morning, hunting around for his socks before he kissed the kids goodbye.

From Slate • Apr. 19, 2026

“I think you can kiss that goodbye for 2026,” he said.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026

I’m the first to admit that it hasn’t been easy saying goodbye to the career striver I have been for more than five decades.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

Then with a burn of their spacecraft's main engine, they said goodbye and began their quarter of a million mile journey to the Moon.

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026

After breakfast the three of us said goodbye to Ma and headed off, but at the last minute I turned around, came back, and hugged her.

From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo

Related Words

• adieu
• bye-bye