kudos

¹

[ koo-dohz, -dohs, -dos, kyoo- ]

noun

, (used with a singular verb)

1. honor; glory; acclaim:

   He received kudos from everyone on his performance.

kudos

²

[ koo-dohz, kyoo- ]

noun

1. plural of kudo.

kudos

/ ˈkjuːdɒs /

noun

1. functioning as singular acclaim, glory, or prestige

   the kudos of playing Carnegie Hall

Usage Note

In the 19th century, kudos1 entered English as a singular noun, a transliteration of a Greek singular noun kŷdos meaning “praise or renown.” It was at first used largely in academic circles, but it gained wider currency in the 1920s in journalistic use, particularly in headlines: Playwright receives kudos. Kudos given to track record breakers. Kudos is often used, as in these examples, in contexts that do not clearly indicate whether it is singular or plural; and because it ends in -s, the marker of regular plurals in English, kudos has come to be widely regarded and used as a plural noun meaning “accolades” rather than as a singular mass noun meaning “honor or glory.” The singular form kudo has been produced from kudos by back formation, the same process that gave us the singular pea from pease, originally both singular and plural, sherry from Xeres (an earlier spelling of the Spanish city Jerez), and cherry from the French singular noun cherise. This singular form has developed the meanings “honor” and “statement of praise, accolade.” Both the singular form kudo and kudos as a plural are today most common in journalistic writing. Some usage guides warn against using them.

Word History and Origins

Origin of kudos¹

First recorded in 1825–35; irregular transliteration of Greek kŷdos

Word History and Origins

Origin of kudos¹

C18: from Greek

Example Sentences

“Kudos to Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, albeit it may be too late. If he had done this a few years ago, so many subscribers would not have left.”

From Los Angeles Times

Both men deserve kudos for stepping in to “save” their respective newspapers when they did.

From Slate

But they’ve also both already gotten all of the kudos they’re ever going to get for doing so, and at this point I’d bet that they’re both primarily concerned with minimizing the additional hassle that those papers present to their lives and their bank balances.

From Slate

“The left is angrily denouncing Bret Baier for interrupting Kamala Harris and being rude,” conservative commentator Erick Erickson wrote on X. “That tells me all I need to know. Kudos for Harris going on Fox News.”

From Los Angeles Times

Kudos to Liz Cheney, but she will never be the leader of the Republican Party.

From Salon

Related Words

• applause