Laurelled

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈlɒɹəld/

Definitions

1. A decorative crown made from laurel leaves symbolizes victory and achievement
2. Being adorned with laurel foliage indicates recognition and respect for one's accomplishments
3. Wearing a wreath of laurel leaves representing triumph and distinction

Etymology: "Laurelled" is simply "laurel" with the suffix "-ed" attached, and the suffix is what turns the noun into an adjective meaning "crowned with laurels." The laurel itself is the evergreen whose leaves were woven into wreaths for victors in ancient Greece and Rome, so a laurelled head was one that had been honoured with that emblem of triumph. The same wreath gave English the image behind "poet laureate," the title for an officially appointed poet. The base word traces back to Latin "laurus," the name of the bay tree, which passed into English through Old French "laurier." English then built the verb "laurel" from the noun, so "laurelled" belongs to that same family of words rather than being an independent coinage.