Valedictorian - "student who delivers the closing speech on behalf of his or her graduating class at the commencement exercises of a school or college.” From the Latin verb valeo, valēre meaning “fare well, be strong, be well,” and the Latin verb dico, dicere, dictum meaning “to say, tell.” I always thought the word “valedictorian” had to do specifically with GPA (and the honoree often is the highest-ranking student academically in the class), but the word itself has nothing to do with grades, academic ability, etc. (All information is from www.wikipedia.org, www.etymonline.com and/or www.dictionary.com).
RELATED WORDS/PHRASES – valediction, value, avail, evaluate, valid, invalid (one who is infirm)
SAMPLE SENTENCE - “Usually the salutatorian gives the opening speech at Graduation ceremonies and the valedictorian gives the last one.”
POP CULTURE REFERENCE - Key line spoken by Captain Dudley Smith in the 1997 movie L.A. Confidential, “Have you a valediction, boy-o?” Great movie if you haven’t seen it!
GUESS THE APHORISM: A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin... (scroll for answer)
...of little minds.
(Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance)