Adieus

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An expression used to bid farewell or say goodbye, often conveying a sense of finality or formality
2. A term signifying a parting or departure, particularly in a dramatic or emotional context
3. A farewell remark that implies a significant or heartfelt goodbye, frequently employed in literature or rhetoric

Etymology: "Adieus" is the plural of "adieu," a noun meaning parting words spoken to someone who is leaving. The singular began as a phrase: in Old French, "a Dieu vous comant" meant "I commend you to God," and this was shortened to "adieu," literally "to God." Medieval Latin "ad Deum," meaning the same thing, lies behind it, and English took the word from Old French in Middle English, where it appeared in forms such as "adew" and "adue." The phrase's religious origin is easy to miss today, because the word now sounds like a casual or final farewell rather than a prayer. Its close relative "adios," which came into English through Spanish, is a doublet: both words descend from the same source and entered English by different routes.

Synonyms: farewells, goodbyes, partings, leave-takings, valedictions