Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

honoris causa

American  
[oh-noh-ris kou-sah, o-nawr-is kaw-zuh, o-nohr-] / oʊˈnoʊ rɪs ˈkaʊ sɑ, ɒˈnɔr ɪs ˈkɔ zə, ɒˈnoʊr- /
Latin.
  1. as a sign of respect (usually describing an honorary college or university degree).


honoris causa British  
/ hɒˈnɔːrɪs ˈkaʊzɑː /
  1. for the sake of honour

"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

Etymology

Origin of honoris causa

Literally, “for the sake of honor”

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.

See Examples For:

Wearing a black velvet cap and purple graduation gown for the first time, Swift proudly accepted her Doctor of Fine Arts, honoris causa.

From Los Angeles Times May 18, 2022

The Commons� �Noted with attention the quashing of a proposal before the Senate of Cambridge University to confer upon onetime Premier Ramsay Macdonald a doctorate of laws, honoris causa.

From Time Magazine Archive

Twice awarded him honoris causa, it was given by both Hobart College chapter and the Harvard College chapter in 1929.

From Time Magazine Archive

As the honoris causa hood was placed over McNamara's head, the crowd stood again and clapped.

From Time Magazine Archive

Doc. had been conferred on him, honoris causa, by the University of Königsberg.

From Garcia the Centenarian And His Times Being a Memoir of Manuel Garcia's Life and Labours for the Advancement of Music and Science by Mackinlay, M. (Malcolm) Sterling

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training