Word of the Day

: May 5, 2007

valedictory

adjective val-uh-DIK-tuh-ree

What It Means

: of or relating to a valediction : expressing or containing a farewell

valedictory in Context

June used her valedictory address to emphasize the importance of volunteering and community service.

Did You Know?

Valedictory addresses delivered by earnest young valedictorians at high school and college graduations are as much a sign of spring in the United States as baseball games and cookouts. Though we don't know where the first valedictory address was given, we do know that the word was an institution at some colleges in the U.S. by the mid-1700s. English speakers and writers have also used "valedictory" in non-academic settings since the mid-1600s. Since a valedictory speech is given at the end of an academic career, it is perfectly in keeping with the meaning of its Latin ancestor, "valedicere," which means "to say farewell."