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When writing a letter it typically starts out "Dear..." and then has the content, then before you sign it you might have a formal or informal (depending on who you're writing to) sign off, for example:

blah blah blah letter content blah blah.

Kind regards/Many thanks/Best wishes/Cheers!/etc

Does this final closing portion of your letter have a name?

For comparison, the middle portion of the letter is the body and the opener could be described as a greeting or, more accurately, the salutation. but I don't think this last bit could be called a farewell as such.

So what should it be called?

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  • As an aside, the middle portion of a letter is usually called the "body" of the letter. The opening is commonly called the "Salutation" though "Greeting" is also acceptable.
    – OneProton
    Commented Feb 2, 2011 at 21:03

4 Answers 4

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16

I have always heard the "Sincerely, Joe Smith" part of a letter called the closing.

(And the part you describe as the greeting ("Dear Mr. Blahblah") I'm used to calling the salutation.)

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  • Yep, in fact, when searching Google, you would search for "How can I best 'close a letter'" Described as a closing here: wisegeek.com/what-should-i-include-in-a-personal-letter.htm Some ways you can close a letter: 5steps2english.com/forums/…
    – OneProton
    Commented Feb 2, 2011 at 21:00
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    As one example of the usage in practice of those terms, Microsoft Word has had built-in styles with those names for years.
    – Brian Nixon
    Commented Feb 2, 2011 at 21:06
  • @OneProton one link is dead and the other doesn't make a reliable impression.
    – qubodup
    Commented Sep 19, 2016 at 17:07
31

It's called a valediction or a complimentary close. The opening phrase is called a salutation.

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  • 4
    This. +1.
    – RegDwigнt
    Commented Feb 3, 2011 at 9:09
  • valediction | ˌvaləˈdikSHən | noun the action of saying farewell
    – alex gray
    Commented Aug 22, 2018 at 14:28
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I would describe it as a "valedictory"..."farewell words".

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  • 1
    Or simply, a "farewell"?
    – alex gray
    Commented Aug 22, 2018 at 14:29
  • Yeah, that works, too.
    – Chris B. Behrens
    Commented Aug 22, 2018 at 21:04
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Valediction would be correct although it is neither used as frequently nor as familiarly as the term, "salutation" (which describes the beginning greeting). I suppose we have E.B. White's "Charlotte" to thank for that.

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