greeting

[ gree-ting ]
/ ˈgri tɪŋ /

noun

the act or words of a person who greets.
a friendly message from someone who is absent: a greeting from a friend in another country.
greetings, an expression of friendly or respectful regard: Send my greetings to your family.

Origin of greeting

before 900; Middle English, Old English gretinge. See greet1, -ing1

OTHER WORDS FROM greeting

greet·ing·less, adjective

Definition for greeting (2 of 3)

greet 1
[ greet ]
/ grit /

verb (used with object)

to address with some form of salutation; welcome.
to meet or receive: to be greeted by cheering crowds; to greet a proposal with boos and hisses.
to manifest itself to: Music greeted his ear as he entered the salon.

verb (used without object)

Obsolete. to give salutations on meeting.

Origin of greet

1
before 900; Middle English greten, Old English grētan; cognate with German grüssen

OTHER WORDS FROM greet

greet·er, noun

Definition for greeting (3 of 3)

greet 2
[ greet ]
/ grit /
Scot. and North England Archaic.

verb (used without object)

to grieve; lament; cry.

verb (used with object)

to lament; bewail.

Origin of greet

2
before 900; Middle English grete, Old English grǣtan; cognate with ON grāta, Gothic gretan

Example sentences from the Web for greeting

British Dictionary definitions for greeting (1 of 3)

greeting
/ (ˈɡriːtɪŋ) /

noun

the act or an instance of welcoming or saluting on meeting
(often plural)
  1. an expression of friendly salutation
  2. (as modifier)a greetings card

British Dictionary definitions for greeting (2 of 3)

greet 1
/ (ɡriːt) /

verb (tr)

to meet or receive with expressions of gladness or welcome
to send a message of friendship to
to receive in a specified manner her remarks were greeted by silence
to become apparent to the smell of bread greeted him

Word Origin for greet

Old English grētan; related to Old High German gruozzen to address

British Dictionary definitions for greeting (3 of 3)

greet 2
/ (ɡriːt) Scot /

verb

(intr) to weep; lament

noun

weeping; lamentation

Word Origin for greet

from Old English grētan, northern dialect variant of grætan; compare Old Norse grāta, Middle High German grazen