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.
As the procession began, Total Eclipse of the Heart could be heard playing on the busy street, as crying fans broke into applause.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
The crowd burst into applause and a rendition of "Total Eclipse Of The Heart" broke out as it made its way through the coastal village on Swansea's southwestern edge.
From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026
Ron pulls off the speech and gets an enthusiastic round of applause.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
You could be donating clothes to a charity and they could say you’re only doing it for the applause.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
He probably has more to say, but everybody bursts into applause and cheers, drowning him out.
From "Linked" by Gordon Korman
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.
