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

Example Sentences

The intimate portrait of Colorado poet laureate Andrea Gibson, who faces a terminal diagnosis with a spirit of resilience, needed the boost.

From Los Angeles Times

Machado, the Nobel peace laureate visiting Washington on Wednesday, lashed out at the interim president, casting doubt on whether she can be trusted.

From Barron's

There were no restrictions on what laureates did with the medal, diploma and money they received as part of the prize, it added.

From Barron's

As Robert Mundell, a Nobel laureate in economics, observed, “great powers have great currencies.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Before the White House meeting on Thursday, the Nobel Peace Center posted on X that "a medal can change owners, but the title of a Nobel Peace Prize laureate cannot".

From BBC

Related Words

• adorn
• bedeck
• decorate