adulation
[aj-uh-ley-shuh n]
- excessive devotion to someone; servile flattery.
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Origin of adulation
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for adulatory
Contemporary Examples
It's true that Berman's view of her subject is adulatory, even gushy.
McChrystal has lately been the subject of numerous media profiles, most of them adulatory.
Historical Examples
These verses have been disparaged as too adulatory in their tone.
The Oxford ReformersFrederic Seebohm
A murmur of adulatory incredulity arose from the group of courtiers.
The Vicomte de BragelonneAlexandre Dumas
The adulatory phrases used as mere conventionalities seemed to have actually turned his head.
Charles the BoldRuth Putnam
Although not handsome, his face called for an adulatory responsiveness on the part of those who came in contact with him.
Edith and JohnFranklin S. Farquhar
Demochares, then, has said all this about the adulatory spirit and conduct of the Athenians.
adulatory
- expressing praise, esp obsequiously; flattering
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adulation
- obsequious flattery or praise; extreme admiration
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for adulatory
adulation
n.
late 14c., "insincere praise," from Old French adulacion, from Latin adulationem (nominative adulatio) "a fawning; flattery, cringing courtesy," noun of action from past participle stem of aduliari "to flatter," from ad- "to" (see ad-) + ulos "tail," from PIE *ul- "the tail" (cf. Sanskrit valah "tail," Lithuanian valai "horsehair of the tail"). The original notion is "to wag the tail" like a fawning dog (cf. Greek sainein "to wag the tail," also "to flatter;" see also wheedle).
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper