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good·bye or good-bye also good-by

(gd-bī)

interj.

Used to express an acknowledgment of parting.

n. pl. good·byes or good-byes also good-bys

1. An acknowledgment at parting, especially by saying "goodbye."

2. An act of parting or leave-taking: many sad goodbyes.

[Alteration (influenced by good day) of God be with you.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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