laureate

noun lau·re·ate \ ˈlȯr-ē-ət , ˈlär- \

|Updated on: 10 Aug 2018

Definition of laureate

: the recipient of honor or recognition for achievement in an art or science

a Nobel laureate

; specifically : poet laureate

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laureate

adjective

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laureateship

play \ˈlȯr-ē-ət-ˌship, ˈlär-\ noun

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Recent Examples of laureate from the Web

In 1967 British biologist and Nobel laureate Sir Peter Medawar famously characterized science as, in book title form, The Art of the Soluble.

— michael shermer, Scientific American, "Will Science Ever Solve the Mysteries of Consciousness, Free Will and God?," 13 July 2018
During the two years that followed, she was named one of five laureates for an entrepreneurship program set up by Madagascar’s Ministry of Industry in 2016.

— lova rabary-rakotondravony, The Christian Science Monitor, "How one Madagascar program grooms young entrepreneurs, leaders," 14 June 2018
Htin Kyaw was widely regarded as an honest but powerless functionary who did the bidding of Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace laureate who has been condemned globally for her acquiescence to the military’s violence against Rohingya Muslims.

— saw nang and richard c. paddock, BostonGlobe.com, "Myanmar Picks a New President, but He’ll Still Be No. 2," 29 Mar. 2018
People’s reaction to learning that USC’s current faculty includes four Nobel laureates and four recent winners of the MacArthur genius grant is decidedly different.

— alex bhattacharji, Town & Country, "Can USC Survive Scandal and Shed Its Spoiled-Kid Reputation Once and For All?," 10 July 2018
Nobel laureate and environmental activist Wangari Maathai was cremated in 2011.

— rodney muhumuza, Fox News, "Africa slowly turning to cremations, though long taboo," 26 May 2018
Video showed the Nobel laureate clad in traditional Pakistani shalwar kameez and her head covered in red and blue scarf sitting next to the premier along with her parents.

— shaiq hussain, Washington Post, "Malala Yousafzai, world’s youngest Nobel laureate, returns to home in Pakistan," 29 Mar. 2018
Authorities are still holding Liu Xia's brother, Liu Hui, who was convicted of fraud and imprisoned in a case supporters say was in retaliation against the attention given the Nobel laureate.

— gerry shih and kirsten grieshaber, chicagotribune.com, "China lets Nobel Prize winner's widow go to Berlin after long house arrest," 10 July 2018
After the couple won the Nobel prize in 1903, Marie became not only the first woman laureate but would also become the first to win in two separate scientific categories, physics and chemistry.

— WSJ, "Five Best: Oren Harman on Science and Literature," 5 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'laureate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of laureate

Middle English, crowned with laurel as a distinction, from Latin laureatus, from laurea laurel wreath, from feminine of laureus of laurel, from laurus

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1529

in the meaning defined above

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