valedictorian
Americannoun
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valedictorians
plural
adjective
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saying goodbye
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of or relating to a farewell or an occasion of farewell
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of valedictorian
An Americanism dating back to 1750–60; valedictory + -an
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Explanation
The valedictorian is usually the student with the highest grades in a class. If the valedictorian of your class is someone you like and admire, you'll enjoy listening to her graduation speech. At a high school or university graduation, the valedictorian traditionally gives a farewell speech, called a valedictory. This person is almost always the student in the class with the very best academic record. The origin of the word valedictorian is the Latin valedicere, which means "bid farewell." Valedicere in turn comes from valere, "be well," and dicere, "to say."
Vocabulary lists containing valedictorian
You Can Say That Again: Dic and Dict
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A Graduation Lexicon
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"The Scholarship Jacket" by Marta Salinas
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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:
He started an effective-altruism club and graduated as valedictorian.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
Contreras is Hesperia High’s valedictorian and earned All Mojave River League honors in cross-country her senior year by taking eighth at league finals in a time of 20 minutes, 49 seconds.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 28, 2026
Geller, last year’s valedictorian, ad-libbed “millionaires suck” during his commencement address.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 22, 2026
After graduating as the valedictorian of her high school, she won a scholarship to attend what is now Virginia State University.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 26, 2026
When the principal, Mrs. Carlisle, announces it’s time for me to give my valedictorian speech, the pageant nerves return.
From "Like Vanessa" by Tami Charles
Fernando and Osmin were both valedictorians of their high school, and each earned a merit scholarship that covered tuition and housing at Loyola University New Orleans.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 28, 2025
He graduated in 1994 as one of 24 valedictorians at his high school.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 27, 2024
We asked the intrepid researchers at the Hall of Fame, and they could find no record of two valedictorians on any major league roster, let alone a championship roster.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2023
Determining whether she is the most “qualified” of the shortlister, though, is like picking out the smartest student in a class of valedictorians.
From Slate ● Feb. 25, 2022
In the first group were the 140 "honor" men, who were valedictorians or salutatorians of their classes.
From Vocational Psychology: Its Problems and Methods by Harry L. Hollingworth
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.
