greet

¹

[greet]

verb (used with object)

1. to address with some form of salutation; welcome.

   Synonyms: accost, hail

2. to meet or receive.

   to be greeted by cheering crowds; to greet a proposal with boos and hisses.

3. to manifest itself to.

   Music greeted his ear as he entered the salon.

verb (used without object)

1. Obsolete.,  to give salutations on meeting.

greet

²

[greet]

verb (used without object)

1. to grieve; lament; cry.

verb (used with object)

1. to lament; bewail.

greet

¹

/ ɡriːt /

verb

1. to meet or receive with expressions of gladness or welcome

2. to send a message of friendship to

3. to receive in a specified manner

   her remarks were greeted by silence

4. to become apparent to

   the smell of bread greeted him

greet

²

/ ɡriːt /

verb

1. (intr) to weep; lament

noun

1. weeping; lamentation

Other Word Forms

• greeter noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of greet¹

before 900; Middle English greten, Old English grētan; cognate with German grüssen

Origin of greet²

before 900; Middle English grete, Old English grǣtan; cognate with ON grāta, Gothic gretan

Word History and Origins

Origin of greet¹

Old English grētan; related to Old High German gruozzen to address

Origin of greet²

from Old English grētan, northern dialect variant of grætan; compare Old Norse grāta, Middle High German grazen

Example Sentences

Around the outfield he went, greeting police officers and members of the grounds crew.

From Los Angeles Times

At the Venice news conference for her new film, she and her cast were greeted with a separate standing ovation.

From BBC

The ground floor was his creative playground, filled with supplies, tools and large pieces of art, including a giant beard that greets guests upon arrival.

From Los Angeles Times

President Xi welcomed Kim with a long handshake, then moved on to greet Putin, before all three walked together to watch the parade.

From BBC

President Xi welcoming North Korea's Kim Jong Un with a long handshake, then moving on to greet Russia's Vladimir Putin before all three walked together to watch the parade, was sheer political theatre.

From BBC

Related Words

• accost 
• acknowledge 
• address 
• approach 
• attend 
• embrace 
• hail 
• meet 
• receive 
• salute 
• shake hands 
• stop