Plaudit

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈplɔːdɪt/

Definitions

1. Expression of strong approval or enthusiastic applause, typically given by an audience or group of people in recognition of excellence or achievement
2. An enthusiastic expression of praise or applause often directed towards someone’s achievement or noteworthy performance is a common use of this term
3. It refers to a display of admiration or commendation typically shown through clapping or verbal affirmations in acknowledgment of merit

Etymology: The word "plaudit" began life as a Latin command. "Plaudite" is the second-person plural imperative of the Latin verb "plaudere," meaning "to applaud," and it was the closing line of Roman comedies, spoken to the audience to signal that the play was over and they could clap. Literally, it means "applaud!" or "clap!" English took the Latin phrase and gradually turned it into a noun. Over time the command was understood as the thing the audience gave, so a "plaudit" came to mean the applause or praise itself, and it now refers especially to enthusiastic public approval. The word is therefore a fossilised stage instruction: what started as a direction to the crowd became the name for the crowd's reward.

Synonyms: applause, acclaim, praise

Antonyms: criticism, disapproval