laureate

American  

[lawr-ee-it, lor-] / ˈlɔr i ɪt, ˈlɒr- /

noun

1. a person who has been honored for achieving distinction in a particular field or with a particular award.

   a Nobel laureate.

2. poet laureate.

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adjective

1. deserving or having special recognition for achievement, as for poetry (often used immediately after the noun that is modified).

   poet laureate; conjurer laureate.

2. having special distinction or recognition in a field.

   the laureate men of science.

3. crowned or decked with laurel as a mark of honor.

4. consisting of or resembling laurel, as a wreath or crown.

laureate British  

/ ˌlɔːrɪˈeɪʃən, ˈlɔːrɪɪt /

adjective

1. literary crowned with laurel leaves as a sign of honour

2. archaic made of laurel

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noun

1. short for poet laureate

2. a person honoured with an award for art or science

   a Nobel laureate

3. rare a person honoured with the laurel crown or wreath

Other Word Forms

• laureateship noun
• laureation noun

Etymology

Origin of laureate

1350–1400; Middle English; < Latin laureātus crowned with laurel, equivalent to laure ( us ) of laurel ( laur ( us ) bay tree + -eus -eous ) + -ātus -ate ¹

Explanation

Winning a major award that marks your achievement in science, art, or literature makes you a laureate. If you develop a cure for cancer one day, you'll probably be a Nobel laureate! The word laureate has a Latin root meaning "crowned with laurels," a reference to the dark, glossy-leaved plants that were historically draped on celebrated poets and heroes in ancient Greece. In 17th-century England, royal households had their very own poets, known as poet laureates — this honorific has since been extended, so that schools, states, and even entire countries have poet laureates, celebrated and honored for their work.

Example Sentences

Finally, the hosts break down the WNBA’s landmark collective bargaining agreement and why Nobel laureate Claudia Goldin was the MVP of the negotiation.

From Slate • Apr. 4, 2026

Then, in January, Esa-Pekka Salonen, named music conductor laureate in 2009 after his transformative 17 years as music director, begins his first concerts in his new role of creative director, assuring the L.A.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 17, 2026

In Peruvian literature he is considered second only to Nobel laureate Mario Vargas Llosa, who died last year.

From BBC • Mar. 10, 2026

Mr. Gioia is the former poet laureate of California.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026

Ernest Lawrence, a Nobel laureate and the intimate friend of statesmen and millionaires, suffered a sudden bout of stage fright at his first meeting with a US president.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Related Words

• adorn
• bedeck
• decorate