noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of applause
1590–1600; < Latin applausus struck upon, applauded (past participle of applaudere ), equivalent to ap- ap- 1 + plaud- clap + -tus past participle suffix
Explanation
After a theatrical performance, audience members typically use applause, or hand-clapping, to express their approval. (Of course, sometimes applause just means the audience is glad it’s time to go home.) Back in ancient Rome, actors requested applause from the audience by declaring “Plaudite!” This fact sheds light on the origin of applause — and it definitively proves that performers have been seeking approval from audiences for millennia. Oddly enough, however, it’s considered inappropriate to applaud between the movements of a piece of classical music, regardless of how much you enjoyed the performance. Some concertgoers choose to defy this rule, in spite of the nasty looks they get from neighbors.
Vocabulary lists containing applause
Academy Awards, List 2
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Spelling Practice, Unit 3
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"One Crazy Summer" by Rita Williams-Garcia, List 8
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The president’s 29-year-old crypto adviser rose from the front row to applause.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
Judging by the decibels of applause, everyone—from the cast and crew to the Ramp workforce to the “influencers group” to the rest of the attendees—seemed to agree.
From Slate ● Oct. 1, 2026
Silvana Armani, who worked alongside her uncle for four decades, was greeted with prolonged applause.
From Barron's ● Sep. 27, 2026
The museum has drawn loads of applause but also plenty of criticism, mostly for its lack of context via wall text, and for displaying art that not everyone agrees should be elevated.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026
There was a loud round of applause after that one, and Wanda thanked Lanessa.
From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
