Valediction

A valediction is a phrase used to say goodbye at the end of a letter.^[1][2][3] It also refers to the act of saying goodbye to someone. It comes from the Latin vale dicere, which means "to say farewell".^[4] Valedictions are normally written before the signature in a written message. The words used usually express respect or regard for the person to whom the message is written.

English valedictions often contain the possessive pronoun "yours"; for example, Yours truly. In the United Kingdom, Yours sincerely or Yours faithfully are most common.

1. ↑ Valediction – Definition from The Free Dictionary.
2. ↑ Complimentary close on The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition.
3. ↑ Valediction Dictionary.co.uk Archived 2011-07-17 at the Wayback Machine.
4. ↑ Oxford Concise Dictionary of English Etymology. Great Britain: Oxford University Press. 1996. p. 519.