What does "valedictory" mean?
An address given on an occasion of bidding farewell or parting company.
Valedictory
/ˌvælɪˈdɪktəɹi/ adj, noun
adj, noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An address given on an occasion of bidding farewell or parting company.
- Grammar: valedictory is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: valediction, address, adieu, after-dinner speech.
- Useful contrasts: beginning, introductory, opening.
- Usage evidence: The wistful and yearning "Franz Schubert" segues into the valedictory "Endless Endless", the closing track on Kraftwerk's Trans-Europe Express album.
How to use "valedictory"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "valedictory" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "valedictory" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "valedictory" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "valedictory" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "valedictory" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "valediction" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "valedictory", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An address given on an occasion of bidding farewell or parting company.
"[Jean-Claude] Juncker gave an emotional valedictory. When he stopped speaking, an Italian journalist stood up. "History will judge you, Mr Juncker," the journalist said solemnly, "but we will never forget you" before urging a round of applause for the Luxembourger's "30 years as a true European"."
- 2 a farewell oration (especially one delivered during graduation exercises by an outstanding member of a graduating class) wordnet
- 3 A speech given by a valedictorian at a commencement or graduation ceremony. Canada, US, specifically
Adjective
- 1 Of or pertaining to a valediction (“an act of parting company; a speech made when parting company”); designed for or suitable to an occasion of bidding farewell or parting company. not-comparable
"a valedictory oration"
- 2 Of or pertaining to a valedictorian (“the individual in a graduating class who delivers the farewell address, often the person who graduates with the highest grades”). Canada, US, not-comparable
"The first was Larissa Martinez, who divulged her undocumented status during her valedictory speech and told the crowd at her McKinney, Texas, high school graduation she would be attending Yale University with a financial aid package in the fall."
Adjective
- 1 of a speech expressing leave-taking wordnet
- 2 of or relating to an occasion or expression of farewell wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"The wistful and yearning "Franz Schubert" segues into the valedictory "Endless Endless", the closing track on Kraftwerk's Trans-Europe Express album."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "valedictory"?
Common synonyms include: valediction, address, adieu, after-dinner speech, allocution, aloha.
How do you use "valedictory" in a sentence?
The wistful and yearning "Franz Schubert" segues into the valedictory "Endless Endless", the closing track on Kraftwerk's Trans-Europe Express album.
How do you pronounce "valedictory"?
Pronounced /ˌvælɪˈdɪktəɹi/.
Etymology
From Latin valedictum + English -ory (suffix forming nouns meaning ‘that which pertains to’, or adjectives meaning ‘of or pertaining to’). Valedictum is the accusative supine of valedīcō (“to bid farewell; to give a valediction”), from valē (“farewell, goodbye”) (the imperative of valeō (“to be healthy or well; to be strong; to have influence or power”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂welh₁- (“powerful, strong; to rule”)) + dīcō (“to say, speak”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *deyḱ- (“to point out”)). By surface analysis, valedict + -ory.