Valeictorian is an academic title typically conferred upon the highest ranked student within the graduating class of an educational institution. The term is an anglicized derivation of the Latin vale dicere ("to say farewell"), historically rooted in the valedictorian's traditional role as the final speaker at the graduation ceremony. The valedictory address is generally considered a final farewell to classmates, before they disperse as a collective group in order to pursue their individual paths after graduating. The title of class valedictorian is common in educational institutions in the United States and Canada, while its equivalent in Australia, New Zealand and Scotland is dux.