homage

American  

[hom-ij, om-, oh-mahzh] / ˈhɒm ɪdʒ, ˈɒm-, oʊˈmɑʒ /

noun

1. respect or reverence paid or rendered.

   In his speech he paid homage to Washington and Jefferson.

   Synonyms:

   tribute, honor, obeisance, deference

   Antonyms:

   irreverence

2. the formal public acknowledgment by which a feudal tenant or vassal declared himself to be the man or vassal of his lord, owing him fealty and service.

3. the relation thus established of a vassal to his lord.

   Synonyms:

   devotion, loyalty, fidelity

   Antonyms:

   disloyalty

4. something done or given in acknowledgment or consideration of the worth of another.

   a Festschrift presented as an homage to a great teacher.

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homage British  

/ ˈhɒmɪdʒ /

noun

1. a public show of respect or honour towards someone or something (esp in the phrases pay or do homage to )

2. 1. the act of respect and allegiance made by a vassal to his lord See also fealty

   2. something done in acknowledgment of vassalage

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verb

1. archaic to render homage to

homage Cultural  

1. Under feudalism, the personal submission of a vassal to a lord, by which the vassal pledged to serve the lord and the lord to protect the vassal.

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Etymology

Origin of homage

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English (h)omage, from Old French, equivalent to (h)ome “man” (from Latin hominem, accusative of homō; see Homo) + -age -age

Explanation

Homage means great respect and honor, or something done to honor a person or thing. We pay homage to our ancestors and say prayers in homage to their memory. In Middle English, homage specifically referred to respect for and loyalty to a feudal lord. The word was borrowed from Old French, probably from omne, homme "man," from Latin homō. The noun suffix –age is used to mean "an action, process, result, or state."

Example Sentences

Get Go is a homage to London, with snatches of pirate radio and a crisp two-step beat, articulating a story about the therapeutic feeling of dancing with strangers.

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026

It paid homage to a nurse’s steady hands, to a mother’s prayer beads slipping through her fingers, and to a belief that our stories do not end at the point of collapse.

From Slate • Mar. 29, 2026

Mr. Sokolov styles his work as an homage to 1970s grindhouse cinema, complete with cheesy sound effects, slo-motion, and grandiose musical cues.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

And I think it’s really important to pay homage.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

Rather, he was there to, once again, try to become the player the whole chess world should pay homage to.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

Related Words

• allegiance
• deference
• loyalty
• reverence
• tribute