Panegyry

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A public gathering held to celebrate or honor an event or person, often including speeches and entertainment
2. An assembly or festival characterized by ceremonies and speeches in praise of a subject
3. A ceremonial occasion marked by formal speeches and communal rejoicing to pay tribute or commemorate

Etymology: Panegyry is an obsolete spelling of "panegyric", and the two share the same Greek ancestry. The Greek "panēgurikós" came from "pan" ("all") and "agyris", a gathering or assembly, so the root idea was a gathering of the whole people. In ancient Greece a "panēguris" was a festival held for all the people, and speeches delivered at such gatherings were the original panegyrics: formal orations in praise of a city, a deity or a hero. The word reached English through French "panégyrique", which carried the same sense of a public eulogy. Over time the praise moved from the gathering itself to the speech, and from the speech to any lavish tribute in writing or talk. The spelling "panegyry" was a variant that fell out of use, leaving "panegyric" as the form that survives.

Synonyms: eulogy, tribute, commendation, praise, accolade

Antonyms: denunciation, criticism, censure, rebuke, disparagement