valedictory

American  

[val-i-dik-tuh-ree] / ˌvæl ɪˈdɪk tə ri /

adjective

1. bidding goodbye; saying farewell.

   a valedictory speech.

2. of or relating to an occasion of leave-taking.

   a valedictory ceremony.

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noun

• valedictories
  plural

1. an address or oration delivered at the commencement exercises of a college or school on behalf of the graduating class.

2. any farewell address or oration.

valedictory British  

/ -trɪ, ˌvælɪˈdɪktərɪ /

noun

1. a farewell address or speech

2. a farewell speech delivered at a graduation ceremony, usually by the most outstanding graduate

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• valedictories
  plural

Etymology

Origin of valedictory

1645–55; < Latin valedict ( us ) ( see valediction) + -ory ¹

Explanation

A valedictory is a speech expressing farewell, as at a school graduation. The adjective valedictory relates to saying good-bye, but almost always refers to a speech or address. Many people think of a valedictory address as the graduation speech given by the kid who got the highest grades in school — and often it is — but valedictory words don't have to have anything to do with schools or grades or throwing your cap in the air. They're all about taking one's leave or saying farewell, whether it's the president leaving office or a worker reaching retirement or a friend at a going-away party.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

valedictory valedictories

The length and detail in his valedictory statement suggests this was in the pipeline for a day or two but there's no word on why he has taken this decision.

From BBC ● Jun. 28, 2026

Conservative lawyers and pundits marked the occasion by publishing laudatory articles that had, to me, a distinctly valedictory feel to them.

From Slate ● Feb. 13, 2026

Hunter Biden joined his family onstage this week in Chicago at the Democratic National Convention, where President Biden gave a valedictory address and the crowd roared, “Thank you, Joe.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2024

We can only hope that those valedictory titles aren’t telling us something about Fellowship’s future.

From New York Times ● Jul. 7, 2023

In February of 1796, Washington had first approached Alexander Hamilton about drafting some kind of valedictory statement.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

She stood all of 5 feet 4 inches, not counting the white stiletto heels, on the podium in the House television studio Thursday for one of her many valedictories.

From Washington Post ● Dec. 2, 2022

Retiring World Bank President Robert McNamara and former Secretary of State Cyrus Vance in their valedictories last year both decried that trend as "disgraceful."

From Time Magazine Archive

Instead there were eulogies and valedictories because Speaker Gillet was leaving to join the Senate.

From Time Magazine Archive

As that seminal group's linchpin, Robertson wrote spooky, spunky and romantic valedictories to the mythic ghosts of American history: rounders and robbers, gamblers and wanderers, the proud, the humble and the haunted.

From Time Magazine Archive

At Yale College, from 1787 onwards, there were no Masters' valedictories, nor syllogistic disputes in Latin, and in 1793 there were no Master's exercises at all.

From A Collection of College Words and Customs by Benjamin Homer Hall