noun
Other Word Forms
- applausive adjective
- self-applause noun
- unapplausive adjective
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.
As applause for her previous number, “Please, Please, Please,” faded and Carpenter sat down at the piano for her next number, someone in the crowd suddenly let out a loud trill.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026
We got back to rounds of applause from our colleagues for surviving.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026
The judges' scorecards told the story, as Price was declared the winner to rapturous applause with scores of 99-91, 98-92 and 98-92.
From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026
News of millennial feminism’s demise has been met with much applause.
From Slate • Mar. 31, 2026
She stepped away from the pulpit to applause, but it wasn’t celebratory.
From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro
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.
