valediction
/ˌvæl.əˈdɪk.ʃən/noun
valediction is spelled V-A-L-E-D-I-C-T-I-O-N: 11 letters and 4 syllables. It appears about once in every 22 million words in written English, the 141,699th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, valediction means “A speech made when leaving or parting company” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of valediction is valedictions.
How many letters and syllables are in valediction?
| Letters | 11: V-A-L-E-D-I-C-T-I-O-N |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 4 (from its pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 22 million words; the 141,699th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is valediction?
Valediction appears about once in every 22 million words in written English, the 141,699th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce valediction?
- UK /ˌvæl.əˈdɪk.ʃən/
Valediction has 4 syllables (counted from the pronunciation).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-au-valediction.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with valediction?
2 words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as valediction from its last stressed vowel (/ɪkʃən/, British pronunciation):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of valediction
- valedictions plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does valediction mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A speech made when leaving or parting company.
- 2
The act of parting company.
- 3
A word or phrase said upon leaving, such as "farewell" or "adieu".
- 4
A word or phrase used to end a letter or message.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Valediction in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | discours d'adieu , adieux , adieu, salut, à la prochaine, chao |
| German | Abschiedsrede , Abschied, Abschiednehmen, Verabschieden , Abschiedswort, Abschiedsworte |
| Spanish | alocución de despedida , despedida , adiós, hasta luego, chau, hasta la vista |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does valediction come from?
First attested in 1614; borrowed from New Latin valedictiō, from valedīcō (“to bid farewell”) + -tiō, from valē (“farewell, so long”) + dīcō (“to say”). By surface analysis, valedict + -ion.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).