Meaning & use
valedictorian student
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Meanings
nouncountableAmerican
A student, usually the one with the highest grades in a graduating class, who gives a farewell speech at the graduation ceremony.
Grammar: Countable: say 'a valedictorian student' or 'the valedictorian students', and use the plural when you mean more than one.
Patterns
- the valedictorian student of a class
- be named valedictorian student
- the valedictorian student gives a speech
At the ceremony, the valedictorian student thanked the teachers and the families in the audience.
She worked hard for four years and finished as the valedictorian student of her high school.
Every spring the school chooses a valedictorian student to speak for the whole graduating class.
nouncountableAmerican
A student who has earned the best academic results in a particular year group or program, whether or not a speech is given.
Grammar: Countable and often used after 'the': 'the valedictorian student' means one particular top student.
Patterns
- the valedictorian student in a program
- be the valedictorian student
In our program, the valedictorian student receives a small prize and a certificate.
He was the valedictorian student of his year, but he was too shy to speak at the event.
Word forms
| plural | valedictorian students |
|---|
Common combinations
- be named valedictorian student
- She was named valedictorian student after the final exams were marked.
- the class valedictorian student
- The class valedictorian student sat at the front of the stage.
- give the valedictorian speech
- He was nervous about giving the valedictorian speech in front of so many people.
- graduate as the valedictorian student
- My cousin graduated as the valedictorian student of her nursing school.
- the valedictorian student of the graduating class
- The valedictorian student of the graduating class spoke for about ten minutes.
Synonyms and how they differ
- top student
- A general, informal way to describe someone with the best marks; it does not suggest that the person gives a speech.
- head of the class
- Used when you focus on rank rather than on a ceremony; it can describe any level, not only a graduating year.
- prize student
- More common in British English and often about winning an award, not about leading a graduation ceremony.
Word family
- valedictorian noun
- The student who gives the farewell speech; the short form of the phrase.
- valedictory adjective
- Describing a farewell speech or address, as in 'a valedictory message'.
- valediction noun
- A formal word for a farewell or the words said when saying goodbye.
Commonly confused: valedictorian student or salutatorian student? valedictorian student or graduate student?
valedictorian student vs salutatorian student
The salutatorian is usually the student with the second-highest grades and often gives the opening welcome speech, while the valedictorian gives the closing farewell speech.
valedictorian student vs graduate student
A graduate student is someone studying for an advanced degree after a first degree; a valedictorian student can be at any level of school.
Practice
Which sentence uses the phrase correctly?
Choose one answer.
The valedictorian student is the top student who gives the farewell speech at the end of the ceremony. Option 1 describes the welcome speech, which usually belongs to the salutatorian; option 2 contradicts the meaning because top grades are required; option 3 has nothing to do with the role.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “valedictorian student”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.