Greet Meaning
/ɡɹiːt/Definition, CEFR level A1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbTo welcome in a friendly manner, either in person or through another means such as writing.
verbTo arrive at or reach, or meet.
Sentence Examples
When the visitor entered the room, we stood to greet him.
There is no one to greet me.
CEFR Practice Quiz
She will ____ her guests at the door with a smile.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The host stood at the front door to ____ each guest with a warm smile and a friendly handshake.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English greten, from Old English grētan, from Proto-West Germanic *grōtijan, from Proto-Germanic *grōtijaną. Cognate with Dutch groeten, German grüßen, grüssen.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"My lord, the mayor of London comes to greet you."
— c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:
"Warwick observed, as they passed through the respectable quarter, that few people who met the girl greeted her, and that some others whom she passed at gates or doorways gave her no sign of recognition; from which he inferred that she was possibly a visitor in the town and not well acquainted."
— 1900, Charles W[addell] Chesnutt, chapter I, in The House Behind the Cedars, Boston, Mass.; New York, N.Y.: Houghton, Mifflin and Company […], →OCLC:
"In vain the Spring my Senſes greets / In all her Colours, all her Svveets; / To me the Roſe / No longer glovvs, / Every Plant / Has loſt its Scent: […]"
— 1707, [Joseph Addison], Rosamond. An Opera. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, Act I, scene ii, page 9:
"Way deep in left field, where the carpet of green sloped upward to a terrace and greeted the thick line of trees, he reached out his glove."
— 2009, Loren Long, Phil Bildner, Magic in the Outfield, page 47:
"Fair on his feet the polish'd sandals shine,
And thus he greets the master of the swine:"
— 1725–1726, Homer, “(please specify the book or chapter of the Odyssey)”, in [William Broome, Elijah Fenton, Alexander Pope], transl., The Odyssey of Homer. […], London: […] Bernard Lintot, →OCLC:
Explore More A1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
She will ____ her guests at the door with a smile.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The host stood at the front door to ____ each guest with a warm smile and a friendly handshake.