plaudit

noun

plau·​dit ˈplȯ-dət 

1

: an act or round of applause

2

: enthusiastic approval

—usually plural

received the plaudits of the critics

Did you know?

You earn plaudits for your etymological knowledge if you can connect plaudit to words besides the familiar applaud and applause. A word coined by shortening Latin plaudite, meaning "applaud," plaudit had gained approval status in English by the first years of the 17th century. Latin plaudite is a form of the verb plaudere, meaning "to applaud"; plaudere, in turn, is ancestor to explode, plausible, and the archaic displode (a synonym of explode).

Synonyms of plaudit

• applause
• ovation
• praise
• accolade
• acclamation
• commendation
• cheering

Examples of plaudit in a Sentence

the proud parents bragged that their daughter had received many plaudits for her academic achievements

Recent Examples on the Web

That may sound counterintuitive, given that Chinese open-source models have won plaudits worldwide for their low costs—and that China has cheap power. — Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026

At McQueen, McGirr stepped into the shoes of Sarah Burton, who spent 26 years at the brand and 13 as creative director, earning plaudits for balancing the brand’s couture ethos with a strong ready-to-wear offer. — Laure Guilbault, Vogue, 15 Oct. 2026

Kean was already given long odds of beating Bennett, who has won plaudits as a strong candidate and potent fundraiser. — Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 13 Oct. 2026

Such plaudits raise the question of how Movistar Plus moves forward from here. — John Hopewell, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin plaudite applaud, plural imperative of plaudere to applaud

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for plaudit

• audit
• caudate

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

plaudit

noun

plau·​dit ˈplȯd-ət 

1

: applause

2

: enthusiastic approval

—usually used in plural

received the plaudits of the critics

Etymology

from Latin plaudite, a form of plaudere "to clap" — related to applaud, explode, plausible see Word History at explode, plausible