Laudations

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Expressions of praise or commendation given to someone for their achievements or virtues
2. Formal accolades or acknowledgments typically offered during ceremonies or public gatherings
3. Acts of expressing admiration, often through speeches, writings, or rituals, that celebrate accomplishments

Etymology: "Laudations" is simply the plural of "laudation," so its history is the history of that noun. The word came into English by direct borrowing from Latin "laudatio," a noun built from "laudare," "to praise," which in turn comes from "laus," "praise." Latin speakers used "laudatio" for a formal speech of praise, and that sense of a public, often ceremonial tribute carried over into English. English also has a much older relative. Old English had "taudation," which points to the same Latin source and shows that the idea of praising someone in formal words was familiar to Anglo-Saxon speakers long before the Latin term was taken up again in its fuller form.