laureate

[ lawr-ee-it, lor- ]
/ ˈlɔr i ɪt, ˈlɒr- /

noun

a person who has been honored for achieving distinction in a particular field or with a particular award: a Nobel laureate.

adjective

deserving or having special recognition for achievement, as for poetry (often used immediately after the noun that is modified): poet laureate; conjurer laureate.
having special distinction or recognition in a field: the laureate men of science.
crowned or decked with laurel as a mark of honor.
consisting of or resembling laurel, as a wreath or crown.

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 -ate1

OTHER WORDS FROM laureate

lau·re·ate·ship, noun

Example sentences from the Web for laureate

British Dictionary definitions for laureate

laureate
/ (ˈlɔːrɪɪt) /

adjective (usually immediately postpositive)

literary crowned with laurel leaves as a sign of honour
archaic made of laurel

noun

short for poet laureate
a person honoured with an award for art or science a Nobel laureate
rare a person honoured with the laurel crown or wreath

Derived forms of laureate

laureateship, noun laureation (ˌlɔːrɪˈeɪʃən), noun

Word Origin for laureate

C14: from Latin laureātus, from laurea laurel