Congratulate
/kənˈɡrætʃ.ə.leɪt/noun
To express pleasure or praise to someone for an achievement or good fortune.
Did you know?Congratulate comes from Latin congratulari, a social act of joining someone in joy, built from gratus (“pleasing, thankful”), the same root behind gratitude and grace.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gʷerh₂-
“to favor, praise, welcome”
Latin
Latin
grātus
“pleasing, thankful, agreeable”
Latin
Latin
congrātulārī
“to wish joy to, to congratulate”
Late Middle English
English
congratulen
“to express joy or approval to someone”
Modern English
English
congratulate
“to express pleasure or praise for someone’s success or good fortune”