# ciao

/ˈtʃaʊ/ (US) · /tʃˈaʊ/ (UK) · CEFR B1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ciao
Updated: 2026-05-25

## Definition

a friendly way to say hello or goodbye in Italian. You use it when you are speaking to someone you know well.

For teachers: a greeting or farewell used in Italian and Italian-American communities. While technically a noun in Italian, it functions as an interjection in English contexts.

## Examples

- I said ciao to my neighbor as I walked past.
- The waiter at the local trattoria greeted us with a warm ciao before taking our order.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.