formal greeting
Proper initial address
A formal greeting is a conventional phrase or gesture used to acknowledge someone in official, professional, or ceremonial contexts.
Unlike casual greetings, formal greetings observe social protocols and hierarchies: The ambassador exchanged formal greetings with the delegation.
They include verbal expressions like "How do you do?" and physical gestures like handshakes or bows, depending on culture.
- helloCommon spoken greeting
- how do you doFormal spoken greeting
- pleased to meet youFormal greeting upon introduction
- good eveningNighttime salutation
- handshakeMutual palm-gripping gesture
bow · curtsy · salutation · firm handshake · introduction · welcome · receiving line · reception · etiquette · social graces · protocol · diplomatic · ceremony · address · madam · sir · respectful · cordial
- etiquettemanners, politeness, etiquette, table manners, courtesy
- greetingshi, hello, hey, hola, aloha
- emailsreply, forward, CC, BCC, subject line
- diplomacyembassy, ambassador, ambassadors, treaty, treaties
- honorificssir, madam, Mr, Mrs, Ms
- protocolsprotocol, TCP/IP, HTTP, HTTPS, diplomatic protocol