encomium

American  

[en-koh-mee-uhm] / ɛnˈkoʊ mi əm /

noun

• encomiums,
  plural
• encomia
  plural

1. a formal expression of high praise; eulogy.

   An encomium by the president greeted the returning hero.

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encomium British  

/ ɛnˈkəʊmɪəm /

noun

1. a formal expression of praise; eulogy; panegyric

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• encomia
  plural
• encomiums
  plural

Etymology

Origin of encomium

First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin, from Greek enkṓmion, equivalent to en- en- ² + kôm(os) “a revel” + -ion noun suffix

Explanation

An encomium is a fancy word for a formal speech or piece of writing that warmly praises someone or something. Encomium comes from the Greek word enkomion which, in a nutshell, is to honor someone or something at a party in a poetic speech. It used to refer to the song for the winner of the Olympic Games, sung at a victory celebration. You might hear an encomium at a retirement party, after you publish a fabulous book, or even at a funeral (a eulogy, or speech at a funeral about the person who died, is a kind of encomium). It's pronounced with a long O, en-CO-mium.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

encomium encomia encomiums

Still, there is something uncomfortably obsequious throughout this encomium to Thomas, who sits in review of Thapar’s own rulings.

From Slate ● Jul. 25, 2023

I’m as guilty as anyone of having blithely used that exaggerated encomium in composing year-end lists in the past.

From Washington Post ● Dec. 6, 2021

Barrack managed to slip an encomium to his alleged clients into the chat, mentioning as “allies ... countries like Abu Dhabi with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed,” the emirate’s crown prince.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2021

A name, a couple of dates, a snatch of prayer, a brief encomium.

From New York Times ● Mar. 17, 2021

No one of them could do anything poorly enough to get anything but a warm encomium.

From Revisiting the Earth by James Langdon Hill

CUMMING, Ga. – In a barn 40 miles north of downtown Atlanta, after barbecue was served and local dignitaries basted each other with encomia, Gov. Brian Kemp got down to brass tacks.

From Washington Post ● Oct. 19, 2022

Seen thus, the Alger books are not merely encomia on hard work but disturbing texts about power, desire, eros and fantasy — elements that are also integral to American perceptions of wealth.

From New York Times ● Apr. 5, 2022

It has already been translated into six languages and is published with dust-jacket encomia from Russell Brand, Susan Sarandon, Brian Eno, Helena Kennedy QC and Paul Mason.

From The Guardian ● Dec. 13, 2016

I regard the posthumous encomia for Scalia as absurd.

From Slate ● Jun. 24, 2016

Upon the same principle we must account for the unmerited encomia lavished upon these fragile blossoms.

From Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions — Volume 1 by Charles Mackay

What wasn’t mentioned in the encomiums showered on Greenspan after his passing at age 100 this past week, was the very different backdrop during his tenure, especially compared with what Warsh faces today.

From Barron's ● Jun. 26, 2026

President Trump’s State of the Union address was full of patriotic spectacle, and it was moving in its encomiums to the country’s military heroes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 25, 2026

Some that had lionized Bankman-Fried have scrubbed their encomiums from their websites; Sequoia similarly removed Fisher’s lengthy piece from its website.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 21, 2022

By then the Judge was plainly ailing, but he sat patiently through the endless encomiums, doing his best to smile through the pain.

From New York Times ● Jul. 14, 2021

I was expecting a stodgy, older gentleman who’d offer me canned encomiums about Hopkins and then stiffen and ask for the check when he found out the details of my standardized test scores.

From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore