laureate

American  

[lawr-ee-it, lor-] / ˈlɔr i ɪt, ˈlɒr- /

noun

1. a person who has been honored for achieving distinction in a particular field or with a particular award.

   a Nobel laureate.

2. poet laureate.

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adjective

1. deserving or having special recognition for achievement, as for poetry (often used immediately after the noun that is modified).

   poet laureate; conjurer laureate.

2. having special distinction or recognition in a field.

   the laureate men of science.

3. crowned or decked with laurel as a mark of honor.

4. consisting of or resembling laurel, as a wreath or crown.

laureate British  

/ ˌlɔːrɪˈeɪʃən, ˈlɔːrɪɪt /

adjective

1. literary crowned with laurel leaves as a sign of honour

2. archaic made of laurel

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noun

1. short for poet laureate

2. a person honoured with an award for art or science

   a Nobel laureate

3. rare a person honoured with the laurel crown or wreath

Other Word Forms

• laureateship noun
• laureation noun

Etymology

Origin of laureate

1350–1400; Middle English; < Latin laureātus crowned with laurel, equivalent to laure ( us ) of laurel ( laur ( us ) bay tree + -eus -eous ) + -ātus -ate ¹

Related Words

• adorn
• bedeck
• decorate