accolade

[ ak-uh-leyd, -lahd ]

noun

1. any award, honor, or laudatory notice:

   The play received accolades from the press.

2. a light touch on the shoulder with the flat side of the sword or formerly by an embrace, done in the ceremony of conferring knighthood.
3. the ceremony itself.
4. Music. a brace joining several staves.
5. Architecture.
   1. an archivolt or hood molding having more or less the form of an ogee arch.
   2. a decoration having more or less the form of an ogee arch, cut into a lintel or flat arch.

accolade

/ ˈækəˌleɪd; ˌækəˈleɪd /

noun

1. strong praise or approval; acclaim
2. an award or honour
3. the ceremonial gesture used to confer knighthood, originally an embrace, now a touch on the shoulder with a sword
4. a rare word for brace
5. architect a curved ornamental moulding, esp one having the shape of an ogee arch

Other Words From

• ac·co·lad·ed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of accolade¹

First recorded in 1615–25; from French, derivative of accolée “embrace” (with -ade -ade ¹ ), noun use of feminine past participle of Old French accoler, verb derivative of col “neck” ( collar ), with a- a- ⁵

Word History and Origins

Origin of accolade¹

C17: via French and Italian from Vulgar Latin accollāre (unattested) to hug; related to Latin collum neck

Example Sentences

The show won six prizes, including three for acting, at the 2024 Emmy Awards, drawing with Succession for the most accolades.

From BBC

“I don’t want to say we take her accolades for granted. But sometimes, it’s like, ‘Wow she’s four games into her sophomore year and has scored 1,000 points.’

From Los Angeles Times

A gorgeous, generous portrait of a city and its people, it more than earns the accolade.

From Los Angeles Times

They deserve every support we have, every accolade.

From Los Angeles Times

And more than the accolades, what Kanno respects most about Ohtani is that he seems to have figured out something about life that the stylist himself realized too late.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• distinction
• kudos

More About Accolade

What is an accolade?

An accolade is an award, honor, or instance of positive acknowledgment or praise.

The word is typically used in the context of honors and praise that have been given to a person throughout their professional career.

It is especially used to refer to prestigious awards and honors that not many people receive.

The adjective accoladed can be used to describe a person who has received many accolades, but the term is rarely used.

The word accolade is also used in a few technical ways in the context of music and architecture.

Example: It would take too long to list her many accolades, which range from professional awards to humanitarian honors to public messages of praise from her peers in the field.

Where does accolade come from?

The first records of the word accolade come from the 1870s. It comes from the French accol(er), meaning “to embrace,” ultimately from col, which means “neck” (and is also the basis of the word collar).

You know that part in movies where the king or queen touches the soon-to-be knight on each shoulder with a sword and says “I knight you Sir So-And-So”? That touch on the shoulder is called the accolade. The word eventually also came to be used to refer to the knighting ceremony itself.

The word was later used in a more general way to mean “an embrace,” and from there took on the meaning involving admiration, praise, and honors.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to accolade?

• accoladed (adjective)

What are some synonyms for accolade?

• honor
• award
• laurel

What are some words that share a root or word element with accolade? 

• accolated
• collar

What are some words that often get used in discussing accolade?

• recognition
• praise
• distinction
• decorated
• highest
• prestigious
• receive
• bestow

How is accolade used in real life?

Accolade is typically used in positive contexts. The word implies that the award or honor is prestigious.

Add it to her long list of accolades: Inaugural poet sensation Amanda Gorman is among the 2021 members on the Time100 Next list of most influential people. https://t.co/tmeLAFy8eF

— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) February 17, 2021

Caryl Williamson was a wonderful, diligent journalist & a truly reliable friend, which became more apparent to me the longer I knew her. Caryl cared. Her contribution to journalism & racing deserves every accolade. I am deeply saddened by her passing but so glad to have known her

— Shane Anderson (@Globalgallop) May 12, 2020

"If we stop fighting because the accolades never come, because our opponents belittle us, or because the fight seems greater than what we have to give, then the accolades were never ours."

SUPERMAN: WORLDS OF WAR #2, Tues from @DCComics! @mikeljanin #JordieBellaire #DaveSharpe pic.twitter.com/vqv5incMMN

— Phillip Kennedy Johnson (@PhillipKJohnson) February 10, 2021

Try using accolade!

Is accolade used correctly in the following sentence?

Being honored by her peers was the kind of accolade the painter had only dreamed of.