Emprize

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A prize awarded, especially in competitions or contests, for outstanding achievement or excellence in a specific field
2. Recognizing exceptional work or performance, often through a formal accolade or trophy in various contexts
3. An honor or reward bestowed upon an individual or group for significant accomplishments or contributions

Etymology: "Emprize" is an obsolete spelling of "emprise", and the two words share a history that starts with a Latin verb meaning "to take". That verb, "prehendere", is the root of English words like "comprehend" and "apprehend", and in Late Latin it was combined with "in-" to form a noun, "imprensa", which passed into Old French as "emprise" and "emprinse". English borrowed the noun in the Middle Ages as "emprise", and a verb, "emprisen", came from the same source. The original sense is the key to the modern meaning. Something "taken on" was an undertaking or enterprise, and a heroic or daring undertaking was the typical kind that medieval writers had in mind. Over time the word came to suggest a bold deed, the sort of adventure celebrated in chivalric stories. The spelling "emprize" appears to be a variant that later faded from use, which is why it is now recorded as obsolete.