Laureate
/ˈlɔːr.i.ət/noun
A person honored for achievement, especially in poetry or scholarship.
Did you know?In Greek and Roman tradition, laurel crowns were tied to Apollo, so the word carries an old echo of divine favor, poetic authority, and public triumph.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dōru- / *deru-
“Tree, wood, or a strong woody plant”
Ancient Greek
Greek
dáphnē
“Laurel tree”
Latin
Latin
laurus
“Laurel tree”
Late Latin
Latin
laureatus
“Crowned with laurel”
Old French
Old French
lauriat / lauréat
“One crowned with laurel; honored poet or scholar”
Middle English
English
laureat
“A person crowned with laurel, especially a poet”
Modern English
English
laureate
“A distinguished person honored for achievement”