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.
However, on her return to Old Trafford earlier this season in the Women's Champions League, Earps was given a warm applause at full-time by home fans.
From BBC • Jun. 19, 2026
The crowd, which greeted Paul with boos before settling into sullen, begrudging applause when prodded, is fully prepared for a distraction.
From Slate • Jun. 16, 2026
They’re the ones that brought me MobileMe,’” he said to raucous laughter and applause.
From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026
To a roaring applause, Max Muncy entered the batter’s box, his first plate appearance since a scary collision with the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Ildemaro Vargas on Thursday.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2026
Kerr gave an encore performance of “Spagoni the Toreador” for oldtimes’ sake, but the greatest applause of the evening went to James, who composed a song he performed for the occasion:
From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong
Definitions 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.
