[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/valediction.html)

[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [The school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/) / valediction

[← V](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/V/)

# valediction

«valediction» in Mova's school dictionary: **the act of saying goodbye, or the words you use to say…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples.

### part of speech

noun (a valediction, valedictions) — formal

### meaning for a pupil

1) (formal) A valediction is the act of saying goodbye, or the words you use to say goodbye. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/V/valediction/#m1)

2) (formal) A valediction is a goodbye speech or poem, or the closing words of a letter, such as «Yours sincerely» or «Best wishes». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/V/valediction/#m2)

### sense in the lessons

In English lessons on letter writing, the valediction is the sign-off at the end. In the USA and Canada, the «valedictorian» is the top student who gives the goodbye speech at graduation. In older poems and classics, a valediction is a farewell. In everyday talk people just say «goodbye» or «sign-off».

### examples

- «Yours sincerely» is a polite valediction. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/V/valediction/#x1)
- End your letter with a valediction and your name. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/V/valediction/#x2)
- The headteacher gave a short valediction at the leaving party. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/V/valediction/#x3)
- The poem is a valediction to a friend going away. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/V/valediction/#x4)
- A text message rarely has a valediction. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/V/valediction/#x5)
- The valedictorian gave a valediction at graduation. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/V/valediction/#x6)

### note

Formal word; plain English: goodbye, farewell, sign-off. Opposite: «salutation» (the greeting, like «Dear Sam»). Pronounced «val-uh-DIK-shun». Letter rule (UK): «Dear Sir» goes with «Yours faithfully», «Dear Ms Lee» with «Yours sincerely».

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «valediction» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/V/valediction/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.