good-night
good-night — exclamation
1. what you say in a friendly way to someone when parting from them at night, or to
what you say in a friendly way to someone when parting from them at night, or to people you share a home with just before you all go to bed
Kasia kissed her grandfather on the cheek and said good night before heading upstairs.
farewell before bed; said with a physical gesture
Wei shouted good night to his friends at the bus stop before boarding.
farewell when parting in the evening outside
Defne yawned and told her roommate good night as she turned off the lamp.
The babysitter tucked the children in and whispered good night before closing the door.
told to children before sleep by a caregiver
Felix texted his mother good night after finishing his late shift at the hospital.
- good morning
used when meeting someone in the early part of the day, not for leaving or bedtime
- good afternoon
used during the middle of the day, opposite timing
Usage Note
Use 'good night' when leaving people in the evening or when everyone is going to sleep — never as a morning or afternoon greeting. In writing, the two-word form 'good night' is most common; the hyphenated 'good-night' also appears in dictionaries.