greeting

/ˈɡriːtɪŋ/
nounBeginner
formalinformal

an act of welcoming or addressing someone politely

The host offered a cheerful greeting to all guests.

The host welcomed all guests in a cheerful manner.

A simple greeting can make someone's day better.

A polite welcome can improve someone's mood.

💡

Greetings can vary in formality and cultural context.

Collocations

warm greetinga friendly and welcoming expressionformal greetinga polite and respectful welcomeverbal greetinga spoken welcomenon-verbal greetinga gesture or action that conveys welcome

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Phrases

greet with open armsphrase
to welcome someone enthusiastically
greet someone with a smilephrase
to welcome someone in a friendly way

💡Pro Tip

Cultural Awareness

Greetings vary widely across cultures. Research local customs before traveling.

Gold Rule

Appropriate Greetings

Match the formality of your greeting to the situation. Use formal greetings in professional settings and informal ones with friends.

📖Word Origin

From Middle English 'gretynge', from Old English 'grēting', from 'grētan' (to greet). Related to Old High German 'grōzen' (to greet).

📝Usage Notes

Greetings are culturally specific and can include gestures, words, or actions. Common greetings in English include 'hello', 'hi', and 'good morning'.

Word Breakdown

greet
to welcome or address someone
root
+
-ing
the action or state of
suffix
English Dictionary