1. give a polite word or sign of welcome or recognition to (someone) on meeting: "some of the customers greeted the barman in Gaelic"Similarsay hello toaddresssalutehailhalloonod towave toraise one's hat totip one's hat toacknowledge the presence ofwelcomemeetreceiveshow inusher inadmitacceptlet inOppositeignore
▪ receive or acknowledge (something) in a specified way: "everyone present greeted this idea warmly"Similarreceiveacknowledgerespond toreact totakehearlisten to
▪ (of a sight or sound) become apparent to or be noticed by (someone) on arrival somewhere:"flowers and cheers greeted the shipyard workers"
Word OriginOld Englishgrētan ‘approach, attack, or salute’, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch groeten and German grüssen ‘greet’.
