A formal farewell is a way of expressing one's goodbye in a respectful and dignified manner. The term 'formal farewell' can be broken down into four crossword solutions: ELEGY (5 letters), VALE (4 letters), ADIEU (5 letters), and CONGE (5 letters). An ELEGY is a poem or song that expresses sorrow or lamentation, often for someone who has died. VALE is an archaic term meaning farewell or goodbye. ADIEU is a French term meaning goodbye or farewell. Finally, CONGE is a French term meaning leave of absence or dismissal.