wave

thumb|A man waving thumb|thumbtime=5|Video of children waving Waving is a nonverbal communication gesture that consists of the movement of the hand and/or entire arm that people commonly use to greet each other, but it can also be used to say goodbye, acknowledge another's presence, call for silence, or deny someone. The wave gesture is an essential element of human language.

==History== The waving of the hand is a nonverbal gesture that has an unclear origin but is said to date back to as far as the 18th century in the form of a saluting. Prior to the 18th century, knights removed the guard of their helmets to show their identity, followed with a salute to show that they came in peace; saluting is also used to show others that they are not armed with weapons and do not pose a threat. The action of saluting was formalised only in the 1780s by European armies; since then, it has become a common way of properly addressing one another in the military setting.