goodbye

goodbye — exclamation

1. a friendly word you say to someone when you or that person is going away to a di

1.exclamationA1
Definition

a friendly word you say to someone when you or that person is going away to a different place, or when a conversation or visit ends

Example

Goodbye, everyone! I'll see you all again next week.

Imani knelt beside her nephew and whispered, "Goodbye, little one. Be good for your mother."

goodbye + direct address phrase

Synonyms
  • bye

    short, informal version of goodbye, very common in everyday speech

  • farewell

    more formal and literary; often used for long or permanent departures

  • see you later

    informal, implies you expect to meet again soon

Antonyms
  • hello

    the greeting used when meeting or arriving

Grammar Patterns

goodbye + (optional address term)

Common Mistakes

I said goodbye to the chance to travel.' (when meaning losing a chance).
I said goodbye to my friend at the station.' or for the figurative meaning use noun sense 2.
The literal 'say goodbye to [person]' means saying farewell to a person; the figurative 'say goodbye to [thing]' expresses accepting loss.
Idioms

goodbye — noun

Word family

  • goodbyes
    nounA1

Synonym discussion

Sense: exclamation/1

All four express parting, but they differ in formality and finality. 'Bye' is the most common informal choice in everyday English — short, friendly, used between friends and strangers alike. 'Farewell' is markedly formal and literary; it suggests the parting may be long or permanent, so it sounds unnatural in casual settings like leaving a coffee shop. 'See you later' is informal and carries a built-in assumption that you will meet again, making it warmer than a simple 'goodbye' but unsuitable when the departure is indefinite. 'Cheerio' is chiefly British, old-fashioned, and perceived as quaint by younger speakers. For classroom use or neutral contexts, 'goodbye' itself or 'bye' are safest; reserve 'farewell' for letters, speeches, or dramatic moments.

bye ↗farewellsee you latercheerio

Common collocations

Nouns

  • goodbye kiss
  • goodbye party
  • goodbye wave
  • goodbye note

Phrases

  • say goodbye
  • wave goodbye
  • bid goodbye
  • kiss goodbye
  • blow a goodbye kiss

Prepositions

Etymology

EnglishLate Middle EnglishChristian blessing phrase: 'God be with ye'

The word 'goodbye' comes from a contraction of the late-1500s phrase 'God be with ye' (meaning 'may God be with you'). Over time, 'God be with ye' was shortened to 'godbwye', then 'goodbye'. The spelling with 'good' instead of 'god' was influenced by common phrases like 'good day' and 'good night'. By the 1700s, 'goodbye' had become the standard English parting expression.