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congratulate

[ kuhn-grach-uh-leyt or, often, -graj-, kuhng- ]
/ kənˈgrætʃ əˌleɪt or, often, -ˈgrædʒ-, kəŋ- /
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verb (used with object), con·grat·u·lat·ed, con·grat·u·lat·ing.
to express pleasure to (a person), as on a happy occasion: They congratulated him on his marriage.
Archaic. to express sympathetic joy or satisfaction at (an event).
Obsolete. to salute.
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Origin of congratulate

1540–50; <Latin congrātulātus, past participle of congrātulārī.See congratulant, -ate1

OTHER WORDS FROM congratulate

con·grat·u·la·tor, nounpre·con·grat·u·late, verb (used with object), pre·con·grat·u·lat·ed, pre·con·grat·u·lat·ing.un·con·grat·u·lat·ed, adjectiveun·con·grat·u·lat·ing, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use congratulate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for congratulate

congratulate
/ (kənˈɡrætjʊˌleɪt) /

verb (tr)
(usually foll by on) to communicate pleasure, approval, or praise to (a person or persons); compliment
(often foll by on) to consider (oneself) clever or fortunate (as a result of)she congratulated herself on her tact
obsolete to greet

Derived forms of congratulate

congratulation, nouncongratulator, nouncongratulatory or congratulative, adjective

Word Origin for congratulate

C16: from Latin congrātulārī, from grātulārī to rejoice, from grātus pleasing
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
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