Awards

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /əˈwɔːdz/

Definitions

1. Recognition or prizes granted to individuals for notable achievements in various fields
2. Honors or accolades bestowed upon individuals or groups to celebrate significant accomplishments or contributions
3. Objects or titles given to recognize exceptional performance or accomplishments in a field

Etymology: The noun "awards" is simply the plural of "award", and the verb form is the same word in its other role. The plural has no history of its own; the story lies in the singular, which entered English from Anglo-Norman "awarder" and carries the sense of deciding or judging. That French verb descends from a Medieval Latin formation, "exwardare", built from Latin "ex", meaning "out", and "wardare", meaning "to observe, regard, guard". The same root gave English "ward", "guard" and "regard". So the idea at the core is of looking carefully and pronouncing a verdict. An award was originally something decided by a judge or authority, and the sense of a formal prize for achievement developed from that act of official judgment.

Synonyms: prizes, honors, recognitions, accolades, trophies