valedictorian
English
[edit]Etymology
[edit]Formed 1759, from valediction (“speech made when leaving”).
Pronunciation
[edit]- (UK) IPA(key): /væl.əd.ɪkˈtɔɹ.ɪən/
Audio (Southern England): (file) - (General American) IPA(key): /væl.ə.dɪkˈtoɹ.i.ən/, /væl.ə.dɪkˈtoɹ.i.ɪn/
Noun
[edit]valedictorian (plural valedictorians)
- (US, Canada, properly) The individual in a graduating class who delivers the farewell or valedictory address, often the person who graduates with the highest grades.
- Coordinate term: salutatorian
- 2020 July 2, Arthur C. Brooks, “A College Degree Is No Guarantee of a Good Life”, in The Atlantic[1]:
- Our oldest son was valedictorian of his high school class and went to a top university. But right about this time two years ago, our second son told us he wasn’t interested in college.
- 2021 June 11, Stephanie Saul, “Two Black Students Won School Honors. Then Came the Calls for a Recount.”, in The New York Times[2], →ISSN:
- At first, it seemed a joyous occasion. There was an audible gasp in the room, then boisterous cheering and applause when the announcement was made: Ikeria Washington and Layla Temple had been named 2021 valedictorian and salutatorian for West Point High School.
- (US, Canada, colloquial) The individual in a graduating class who graduates with the highest grades.
- Synonym: dux
Related terms
[edit]Translations
[edit]farewell speech giver
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no 1 student
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Categories:
- English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
- English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₂welh₁- (rule)
- English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *deyḱ-
- English 5-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio pronunciation
- English 6-syllable words
- English lemmas
- English nouns
- English countable nouns
- American English
- Canadian English
- English terms with quotations
- English colloquialisms
- en:People