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
- greetingless adjective
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.
After greeting students, chasing a football around, "attacking" shoelaces and tights, and exploring parts of the school she has never seen before, the pitter-patter of puppy paws slows down.
From BBC • Mar. 4, 2026
After a warm greeting, he told me that Pope Leo XIV was appointing me archbishop of New York.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026
He then received a warm greeting by his teammates in the dugout.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 23, 2026
His official biography on the Downing Street website says apart from rodent control: "Larry spends his days greeting guests to the house, inspecting security defences and testing antique furniture for napping quality."
From Barron's • Feb. 15, 2026
They hopped into the water, greeting it playfully.
From "The Boy Who Met a Whale" by Nizrana Farook
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.
