Adieu

Pronunciation

• US IPA: /əˈdu/, /əˈdju/
• UK IPA: /æˈdjuː/
• Rhymes: -uː

Origin

From Middle English adieu also adew, adewe, adue, from Old French adieu ("to God"), a shortening of a Dieu vous comant ("I commend you to God"), from Latin ad ("to") + deus ("God")

Usage notes

Although the above pronunciations are usually used in American and RP English, neither is the correct pronunciation in French.

Full definition of adieu

Interjection

1. Said to wish a fond farewell; goodbye.
• 1599, William Shakespeare, ,BEATRICE. What fire is in mine ears? Can this be true?Stand I condemn'd for pride and scorn so much?Contempt, farewell! and maiden pride, adieu!No glory lives behind the back of such.

Synonyms

• addio, adios, aloha, arrivederci, auf Wiedersehen, au revoir, bye, bye-bye, cheerio, cheers, ciao, farewell, good-by, good-bye, goodbye, good day, sayonara, shalom, so long

Noun

1. A farewell, a goodbye; especially a fond farewell, or a lasting or permanent farewell.We bid our final adieus to our family, then boarded the ship, bound for America.

Usage notes

Particularly used in phrase bid adieu.

Derived terms

• bid adieu