encomium
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of encomium
First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin, from Greek enkṓmion, equivalent to en- en- 2 + kôm(os) “a revel” + -ion noun suffix
Explanation
An encomium is a fancy word for a formal speech or piece of writing that warmly praises someone or something. Encomium comes from the Greek word enkomion which, in a nutshell, is to honor someone or something at a party in a poetic speech. It used to refer to the song for the winner of the Olympic Games, sung at a victory celebration. You might hear an encomium at a retirement party, after you publish a fabulous book, or even at a funeral (a eulogy, or speech at a funeral about the person who died, is a kind of encomium). It's pronounced with a long O, en-CO-mium.
Vocabulary lists containing encomium
Literary Devices & Figures of Speech - Advanced
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Reading: Literature - Literary Devices & Figures of Speech - High School
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Gulliver's Travels
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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.
“It was my first attempt at an autobiographical thing,” Diamond told Rolling Stone of this encomium to an imaginary childhood friend.
From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026
The director is Reginald Hudlin, but, in tone and temperament, this lovingly assembled encomium is peak Oprah Winfrey.
From New York Times • Sep. 22, 2022
I’m as guilty as anyone of having blithely used that exaggerated encomium in composing year-end lists in the past.
From Washington Post • Dec. 6, 2021
Granted, those who claim the authority to instruct the rest of us on what deserves that encomium missed its true significance.
From Salon • Feb. 29, 2020
"She's all of that," quoth the fortunate engineer, vaguely aware of a lack of flavour in Miss Tripp's encomium, "and—er—more."
From And So They Were Married by Kingsley, Florence Morse
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.