congratulation

[kuh n-grach-uh-ley-shuh n or, often, -graj-, kuh ng-]

See more synonyms for congratulation on Thesaurus.com

noun

the act of congratulating.
congratulations, an expression of joy in the success or good fortune of another.

interjection

congratulations, (used to express joy in the success or good fortune of another): Congratulations! You have just won the lottery!

Origin of congratulation

1400–50; late Middle English < Late Latin congrātulātiōn- (stem of congrātulātiō), equivalent to congrātulāt(us) (see congratulate) + -iōn- -ion

Related formscon·grat·u·la·tion·al, adjectivepre·con·grat·u·la·tion, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for congratulation

Contemporary Examples

I offered him my hand in congratulation, and he seized and shook it like the good-natured fool he was—or pretended to be.
Read ‘The King in Yellow,’ the ‘True Detective’ Reference That’s the Key to the Show
Robert W. Chambers
February 20, 2014
But in an era when Washington can barely keep its doors open, some congratulation is in order.
America is Not the Next Greece
Daniel Gross
October 31, 2013

Historical Examples

Miss Dasomma threw her arms about her, and broke into a flood of congratulation.
Weighed and Wanting
George MacDonald
He was in the shade, which was a matter for congratulation on such a day.
Good Indian
B. M. Bower
He came up to me with a word of congratulation on the article.
A Writer's Recollections (In Two Volumes), Volume II
Mrs. Humphry Ward
The letter of congratulation must be natural, not stilted, and must be sincere.
How to Write Letters (Formerly The Book of Letters)
Mary Owens Crowther
Without a pause for breath or congratulation they turned to the necessity of the moment.
Blazed Trail Stories
Stewart Edward White

Word Origin and History for congratulation

n.

mid-15c., from Latin congratulationem (nominative congratulatio), noun of action from past participle stem of congratulari "wish joy," from com- "together, with" (see com-) + gratulari "give thanks, show joy," from gratus "agreeable" (see grace (n.)).

congratulation

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}congratulation

Examples from the Web for congratulation

Contemporary Examples

I offered him my hand in congratulation, and he seized and shook it like the good-natured fool he was—or pretended to be.

But in an era when Washington can barely keep its doors open, some congratulation is in order.

Historical Examples

Miss Dasomma threw her arms about her, and broke into a flood of congratulation.

He was in the shade, which was a matter for congratulation on such a day.

He came up to me with a word of congratulation on the article.

The letter of congratulation must be natural, not stilted, and must be sincere.

Without a pause for breath or congratulation they turned to the necessity of the moment.

Word Origin and History for congratulation

n.

Origin of congratulation