Past tense of greet; to welcome, acknowledge, or address someone upon meeting them.
From Old English 'gretan' (to weep, address), possibly from Germanic roots meaning 'to cry out.' Modern sense developed toward friendly address rather than weeping.
Old English 'gretan' meant 'to weep,' but the meaning shifted to 'greet' over centuries—linguistically, welcoming someone and crying out are both about vocal expression, so the meaning leap makes sense.
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