ovation

[oh-vey-shuhn]

noun

1. an enthusiastic public reception of a person, marked especially by loud and prolonged applause.

2. Roman History.,  the ceremonial entrance into Rome of a commander whose victories were of a lesser degree of importance than that for which a triumph was accorded.

ovation

/ əʊˈveɪʃən /

noun

1. an enthusiastic reception, esp one of prolonged applause

   a standing ovation

2. a victory procession less glorious than a triumph awarded to a Roman general

Other Word Forms

• ovational adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of ovation¹

1525–35; < Latin ovātiōn- (stem of ovātiō ) a rejoicing, shouting, equivalent to ovāt ( us ) (past participle of ovāre to rejoice) + -iōn- -ion

Word History and Origins

Origin of ovation¹

C16: from Latin ovātiō rejoicing, from ovāre to exult

Example Sentences

The game’s honored veteran was 100-year-old World War II vet Jimmy Hernandez, and the standing ovation was one of the night’s loudest.

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Badenoch received a standing ovation from Tory activists in Manchester as she declared: "That is how we will help achieve the dream of home ownership for millions."

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Upon his return Tuesday, the host was greeted with a standing ovation by his studio audience.

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Naja Lyberth, who was one of the first of the Inuit Greenlanders to speak out about what happened, received a standing ovation as she addressed Wednesday's event.

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Kimmel was greeted by the studio audience with a long standing ovation and chants of “Jimmy.”

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Related Words

• acclaim 
• acclamation 
• applause 
• testimonial