English · Word Candidate

greeting

/ˈɡɹiːtɪŋ/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: greetings

Sense 1

Meaning · English

A conventional phrase used to start a letter or conversation or otherwise to acknowledge a person's arrival or presence.

Noun

Examples

It's polite to begin a letter with a greeting, but this practice is less common in email.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

The action of the verb to greet.

Noun

Examples

I had occasion […] to make a somewhat long business trip to Chicago, and on my return […] I found Farrar awaiting me in the railway station. He smiled his wonted fraction by way of greeting, […], and finally leading me to his buggy, turned and drove out of town.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “greeting” mean?

A conventional phrase used to start a letter or conversation or otherwise to acknowledge a person's arrival or presence.

Is “greeting” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.