SINCE 1828
laureate
noun
lau·re·ate
| \ ˈlȯr-ē-ət
, ˈlär-\
, ˈlär-\
Definition of laureate
(Entry 1 of 3)
: the recipient of honor or recognition for achievement in an art or science
a Nobel laureate
specifically
: poet laureate
laureate
verb
lau·re·ate
| \ ˈlȯr-ē-ˌāt
, ˈlär-\
, ˈlär-\
laureated;
laureating
Definition of laureate (Entry 2 of 3)
1
: to crown with or as if with a laurel wreath for excellence or achievement
2
: to appoint to the office of poet laureate
laureate
adjective
lau·re·ate
| \ ˈlȯr-ē-ət
, ˈlär-\
, ˈlär-\
Definition of laureate (Entry 3 of 3)
1
: honored for outstanding achievement in an art or science
This was a term coined in the 1950s by Nobel laureate chemist Irving Langmuir …— Gary Taubes
— see also poet laureate
2
: crowned with laurel
Minted in France in 1807, the front of the medal shows the laureate head of Emperor Napoleon and, on the reverse, an eagle clutching a thunderbolt, part of the emperor's imperial seal.— Brice Stump
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Other Words from laureate
Noun
laureateship
\ ˈlȯr-ē-ət-ˌship
, ˈlär- \
noun
, ˈlär- \
noun
Verb
laureation
\ ˌlȯr-ē-ˈā-shən
, ˌlär- \
noun
, ˌlär- \
noun
Examples of laureate in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Former laureate Billy Collins started a poem-a-day project focusing on young readers, for example, and Juan Felipe Herrera, the Redlands poet who served in the post from 2015 to 2017, started an online poetry project called La Casa de Colores. — Michael Schaub, latimes.com, "Joy Harjo appointed U.S. poet laureate, first Native American to hold the title," 19 June 2019 Former laureate Billy Collins started a poem-a-day project focusing on young readers, for example, and Juan Felipe Herrera, the Redlands poet who served in the post from 2015 to 2017, started an online poetry project called La Casa de Colores. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Joy Harjo appointed U.S. poet laureate, first Native American to hold the title," 19 June 2019 Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka of Nigeria and pro-democracy campaigners such as Kenya's Boniface Mwangi are among those signing the letter. — Fox News, "African activists urge Eritrea's leader to launch reforms," 11 June 2019 Economics Nobel laureate Paul Samuelson was fond of saying that rational people change their mind when the facts change. — Jon Sindreu, WSJ, "Rate Cuts Aren’t as Certain as Markets Think," 6 June 2019 Don’t call people brilliant around me because I’m surrounded by Nobel laureates. — Nico Savidge, The Mercury News, "She saw through Elizabeth Holmes. Now Stanford professor is star in Theranos saga.," 3 June 2019 To date, there have been 106 laureates — 105 individuals and one group, the Nobel Foundation. — Peter Rowe, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Kyoto Prize increased to almost $1 million," 12 Apr. 2018 More details about the laureates, as well as tickets to the event, are available at www.svcreates.org. — Sal Pizarro, The Mercury News, "San Jose’s iconic Dancing Pig sign restored to neon glory," 22 June 2019 Joy Harjo, the award-winning poet and musician, has been appointed the 23rd U.S. poet laureate, and will become the first Native American writer to hold the position. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Joy Harjo appointed U.S. poet laureate, first Native American to hold the title," 19 June 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
So too did Stravinsky in conductor laureate Esa-Pekka Salonen’s vibrant survey, much of it of works from the composer’s L.A. years. — Mark Swed, latimes.com, "How the L.A. Phil centennial season delivered on the promise of unprecedented goods," 20 June 2019 Elections in 2015 elevated Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate whose name was once a byword for acts of conscience, and seemed to usher in a chance for democracy to take hold. — Hannah Beech, New York Times, "Hands Tied by Old Hope, Diplomats in Myanmar Stay Silent," 12 Oct. 2017 Poets laureate have little interaction with the president and have rarely been drawn into political conflict. — Washington Post, "Pulitzer Prize winner Tracy K. Smith is new US poet laureate," 14 June 2017 Poets laureate have little interaction with the president and have rarely been drawn into political conflict. — Hillel Italie, USA TODAY, "Pulitzer Prize winner Tracy K. Smith is new U.S. poet laureate," 14 June 2017 Poets laureate have little interaction with the president and have rarely been drawn into political conflict. — Hillel Italie, The Seattle Times, "Pulitzer Prize winner Tracy K. Smith is new US poet laureate," 13 June 2017 Curated by Icelandic composer and conductor Daniel Bjarnason and L.A. Phil conductor laureate Esa-Pekka Salonen, the festival boasts 18 world premieres, three art installations and more than 24 hours of music. — Jessica Gelt, latimes.com, "Sigur Ros concert at Disney Hall to be livestreamed on Pitchfork and Facebook," 14 Apr. 2017 According to Von Holten, most applicants, including Rabas and McHenry, do not make poet laureate on their first attempt. — Anne Kniggendorf, kansascity.com, "New Kansas poet laureate, a Shawnee Mission NW grad, was inspired by journalist mom," 17 May 2017 Peter Singer is professor of bioethics at Princeton University and laureate professor at the University of Melbourne. — Peter Singer, The Denver Post, "The first victims of Donald Trump’s presidency," 4 Feb. 2017These 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.
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More Definitions for laureate
laureate
noun
English Language Learners Definition of laureate
: someone who has won an important prize or honor for achievement in an art or science
See the full definition for laureate in the English Language Learners Dictionary
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