ciao
/tʃaʊ
/exclamation informal
Used as a greeting at meeting or parting: see you later—ciao!...
- I opened the door, he kissed my cheeks and said ciao, and I walked away.
- Remnants of the Italian occupation during World War II exist in the capital, such as the use of ciao to say ‘good-bye.’
- To say goodbye, most Uruguayans have adopted the Italian ciao or addio in place of the Spanish adios.
Origin
Italian, dialect alteration of schiavo '(I am your) slave', from medieval Latin sclavus 'slave'.