ciao

interjection

ˈchau̇ 

—used conventionally as an utterance at meeting or parting

I said ciao and waved goodbye.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Italian, borrowed from Upper Italian ćao, ćavo, reduced form of sćavo, sćao, literally, "slave," as a formulaic polite greeting, altered from Medieval Latin sclavus — more at slave entry 1

Note: By implication, Upper Italian sćavo, sćao presumably formed part of a collocation equivalent to "I am your servant." Cf. the parallel use of Servus as a greeting in parts of southern Germany and Austria.

First Known Use

1929, in the meaning defined above