Farewell Party: Meaning, Examples & Tips

Meaning 1：A goodbye celebration (farewell party)

farewell party 🔊

/ˌferˈwel ˈpɑːrti/

A party to say goodbye and wish someone well when they are leaving.

Farewell party with friends hugging and gifts

A goodbye celebration 🔊

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/ə ɡʊdˈbaɪ ˌsɛlɪˈbreɪʃən/

A social gathering held to honor someone who is leaving, often with food, drinks, and well-wishes.

📁 Category：Culture & History 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

Farewell from 'fare' (journey) + 'well' (good); 'party' from Old French 'partie' (part).

💡 Mnemonic

Farewell party: pay your 'fare' to wish them 'well' at the party.

📖 Example

We decorated the office with balloons for Maria's farewell party before she moved to London. 🔊 We decorated the office with balloons for Maria's farewell party before she moved to London.

🔗 Collocations

organize a farewell party – plan a goodbye celebration

farewell party speech – a talk given at the leave-taking event

farewell party decorations – items used to adorn the goodbye gathering

🔄 Synonyms

send-off party (n.) – A party to celebrate someone's departure, especially for a journey or new job.

goodbye party (n.) – An event where friends gather to say goodbye to someone leaving.

leaving party (n.) – A social gathering hosted for a person who is departing from a group or location.

🚫 Antonyms

welcome party (n.) – A celebration arranged to greet and welcome a new person.

arrival party (n.) – A gathering to mark someone's arrival after a long absence or relocation.

housewarming party (n.) – A party given to celebrate moving into a new home.

📖 Cultural Story

Farewell originates from 'fare thee well,' a phrase wishing a safe journey. Farewell parties became common in 20th-century workplaces as employees relocated.