cheerio: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Medium-low in British English; Very low in American EnglishInformal, colloquial, dated (for the interjection). Neutral for the British breakfast cereal.
Quick answer
What does “cheerio” mean?
A farewell expression.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A farewell expression; a friendly way of saying goodbye.
Used both as an interjection to say goodbye and, in British English, informally as a noun referring to a round, toasted oat breakfast cereal shaped like a small ring. The interjection conveys a tone of friendliness, optimism, or light-heartedness.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In British English, it functions as both an interjection (goodbye) and a noun (cereal). In American English, it is almost exclusively recognized as a brand name for a British cereal and is rarely used as a farewell.
Connotations
UK: Nostalgic, quaint, friendly. US: Recognized primarily as a foreign (British) term, possibly perceived as charming or affected if used as a farewell.
Frequency
The farewell is moderately common among older generations in the UK and in historical contexts. The cereal is a common household item in the UK. In the US, the term is very rare outside of references to UK culture or the imported cereal.
Grammar
How to Use “cheerio” in a Sentence
[Interjection] (as a standalone utterance)[Noun] a packet/box/bowl of CheeriosVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Not used.
Everyday
Used informally for farewells (UK) or to refer to breakfast cereal (UK).
Technical
Not used.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cheerio”
- Using 'cheerio' in a formal American context expecting it to be understood as a common farewell.
- Capitalizing 'cheerio' when using it as an interjection (only capitalize 'Cheerios' for the cereal brand).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is strictly informal and considered somewhat old-fashioned or quaint in modern British English.
You can, but most Americans will recognise it primarily as the name of a British breakfast cereal. Using it as a farewell may cause confusion or be seen as an affectation.
'Cheers' is far more common in modern British English and is used both to mean 'thank you' and informally 'goodbye'. 'Cheerio' is used almost exclusively to mean 'goodbye' and is less frequent.
Only capitalise it when referring specifically to the 'Cheerios' brand of breakfast cereal (e.g., 'a box of Cheerios'). When used as the interjection meaning goodbye, it is written in lowercase (e.g., 'He said cheerio.').
A farewell expression.
Cheerio: in British English it is pronounced /ˌtʃɪə.riˈəʊ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌtʃɪr.iˈoʊ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Cheerio, chin-chin! (a playful, doubly dated farewell)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a cheerful ('cheer') person waving 'O' (io) as they say goodbye.
Conceptual Metaphor
DEPARTURE IS A CHEERFUL RITUAL (for the interjection).
Practice
Quiz
In which variety of English is 'cheerio' commonly used as a casual farewell?