valedictory
va·le·dict·o·ry/ˌvæləˈdɪktəɹi/adjective, noun
valedictory is spelled V-A-L-E-D-I-C-T-O-R-Y: 11 letters and 5 syllables (va·le·dict·o·ry). It appears about once in every 7 million words in written English, the 77,666th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, valedictory means “Of or pertaining to a valediction (“an act of parting company; a speech made when parting company”); designed for or suitable to an occasion of…” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in valedictory?
| Letters | 11: V-A-L-E-D-I-C-T-O-R-Y |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 5: va·le·dict·o·ry |
| In writing | about once in every 7 million words; the 77,666th 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 valedictory?
Valedictory appears about once in every 7 million words in written English, the 77,666th 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 valedictory?
- UK /ˌvælɪˈdɪktəɹi/
- UK /ˌvælɪˈdɪktɹi/
- US /ˌvæləˈdɪktəɹi/
Valedictory has 5 syllables, split va·le·dict·o·ry in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-I_learned_some_phrases-valedictory.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with valedictory?
One word on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as valedictory from its last stressed vowel (/ɪktəɹi/):
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 valedictory
- valedictories plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does valedictory mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Of or pertaining to a valediction (“an act of parting company; a speech made when parting company”); designed for or suitable to an occasion of bidding farewell or parting company.
a valedictory oration
- 2
CanadaUSOf or pertaining to a valedictorian (“the individual in a graduating class who delivers the farewell address, often the person who graduates with the highest grades”).
noun
- 1
An address given on an occasion of bidding farewell or parting company.
- 2
CanadaUSA speech given by a valedictorian at a commencement or graduation ceremony.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Where does valedictory come from?
From Latin valedictum + English -ory (suffix forming nouns meaning ‘that which pertains to’, or adjectives meaning ‘of or pertaining to’). Valedictum is the accusative supine of valedīcō (“to bid farewell; to give a valediction”), from valē (“farewell, goodbye”) (the imperative of valeō (“to be healthy or well; to be strong; to have influence or power”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂welh₁- (“powerful, strong; to rule”)) + dīcō (“to say, speak”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *deyḱ- (“to point out”)). By surface analysis, valedict + -ory.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).