magna cum laude

American  

[mahg-nuh koom lou-dey, -duh, -dee, mag-nuh kuhm law-dee] / ˈmɑg nə kʊm ˈlaʊ deɪ, -də, -di, ˈmæg nə kʌm ˈlɔ di /

adverb

1. with great praise: used in diplomas to grant the next-to-highest of three special honors for grades above the average.

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magna cum laude British  

/ ˈmæɡnə kʊm ˈlaʊdeɪ /

1. with great praise: the second of three designations for above-average achievement in examinations Compare cum laude summa cum laude

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Etymology

Origin of magna cum laude

First recorded in 1895–1900, magna cum laude is from Latin magnā cum laude

Example Sentences

She graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz science communication master’s program and earned a bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College, magna cum laude.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 3, 2026

He received his BA summa cum laude from Indiana University in 1995 and his JD magna cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1998.

From Salon • Aug. 7, 2025

Originally from Detroit but launching her comedy career in Los Angeles, Timpf graduated magna cum laude from Hillsdale College.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 12, 2024

Marlowe would go on to graduate from West Georgia magna cum laude in premed biology, and he was the first West Georgia student-athlete to earn Academic All-America recognition, in any sport, in five years.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 25, 2023

There are, first of all, identity claims, which are deliberate expressions about how we would like to be seen by the world: a framed copy of a magna cum laude degree from Harvard, for example.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell