Finesentence

Goodbye Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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goodbye

good-bye

🇺🇸 /ˌɡʊdˈbaɪ/ · 🇬🇧 /ɡʊdbˈaɪ/

Definitions

Context #1 | Interjection

formal

An expression of good wishes when parting or at the end of a conversation.

Synonyms

bye, farewell, see you later.

Examples of usage

  • Goodbye, my friend. I'll see you soon.
  • She waved goodbye as the train pulled out of the station.
Context #2 | Noun

casual

An instance of saying goodbye; a farewell.

Synonyms

farewell, parting, send-off.

Examples of usage

  • She gave him a quick goodbye and left the room.
  • The goodbyes at the airport were emotional.
Context #3 | Adjective

informal

Causing someone to leave or to be left.

Synonyms

farewell, final, parting.

Examples of usage

  • He received a goodbye letter from his ex-girlfriend.
  • The goodbye party was a bittersweet occasion.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Quick facts about “goodbye”

Goodbye is a 2-syllable interjection, noun, and adjective (good-bye). It is pronounced /ˌɡʊdˈbaɪ/ in American English and /ɡʊdbˈaɪ/ in British English. On finesentence.com it has 3 meanings, 9 synonyms, and translations into 21 languages. It ranks #12,392 among the most common English words.

Origin of 'goodbye'

The word 'goodbye' originated from the term 'God be with you' in the 16th century. Over time, it evolved into the shortened form we commonly use today. The expression is used globally as a polite way to bid farewell to someone.

See also: good, goodies, goodness, goods.

Rhymes

Goodbye rhymes with ai, ay, bi, by, chai, chi, gae and hi-fi.

See all rhymes →

Word Frequency Rank

Ranked #12,392, this word falls into high-advanced vocabulary. It appears less frequently but is valuable for expressing precise meanings in specific contexts.