greeting

greeting
    n 1: (usually plural) an acknowledgment or expression of good
         will (especially on meeting) [syn: {greeting},
         {salutation}]
    

Greet \Greet\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Greeted}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Greeting}.] [OE. greten, AS. gr[=e]tan to address, approach;
   akin to OS. gr[=o]tian, LG. gr["o]ten, D. groeten, OHG.
   gruozzen, G. gr["u]ssen. [root]50.]
   1. To address with salutations or expressions of kind wishes;
      to salute; to hail; to welcome; to accost with friendship;
      to pay respects or compliments to, either personally or
      through the intervention of another, or by writing or
      token.
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            My lord, the mayor of London comes to greet you.
                                                  --Shak.
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   2. To come upon, or meet, as with something that makes the
      heart glad.
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            In vain the spring my senses greets.  --Addison.
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   3. To accost; to address. --Pope.
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Greeting \Greet"ing\, n.
   Expression of kindness or joy; salutation at meeting; a
   compliment from one absent.
   [1913 Webster]

         Write to him . . . gentle adieus and greetings. --Shak.

   Syn: Salutation; salute; compliment.
        [1913 Webster]
    

61 Moby Thesaurus words for "greeting":
      Parthian shot, accost, address, affirmation, allegation, answer,
      apostrophe, assertion, averment, best wishes, bob, bow, card,
      comment, compliments, crack, curtsy, declaration, devoirs, dictum,
      embrace, exclamation, expression, good wishes, greetings, hail,
      hand-clasp, handshake, hello, how-do-you-do, hug, interjection,
      kiss, mention, message, nod, note, observation, phrase, position,
      pronouncement, question, reception, reflection, regards, remark,
      respects, salutation, salute, say, saying, sentence, smile,
      smile of recognition, statement, subjoinder, thought, utterance,
      wave, welcome, word