- Today's Word
Valedictory
val-uh-DIK-tuh-ree
Definition
(adjective/noun) Expressing farewell; a speech or statement made as a goodbye.
Example
Her valedictory remarks brought the entire auditorium to tears.
Fun Fact
Valedictory is most familiar during graduation season, but its use spans politics, literature, and public life. A valedictory address isn’t just a farewell—it often reflects on the past and sets a tone for the future. Famous political valedictories include presidential exit speeches, but even retiring CEOs deliver them. Its Latin roots—vale dicere, meaning “to say farewell”—give it a sense of ceremony and finality.
(verb) To criticize or speak to someone in a harsh, abusive, or scolding manner.
Frustrated by the delays, the coach began to vituperate the referees with escalating intensity.
From Latin vituperare, meaning “to blame” or “to censure.”