eulogy
English edit
Etymology edit
From Middle English wloge (“commendation of the virtues of a deceased person”),[1] from Latin eulogium,[2][3] from Ancient Greek εὐλογία (eulogía, “praise”); equivalent to eu- + logia ("good words"). Doublet of eulogium.
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
eulogy (plural eulogies)
- An oration to honor a deceased person, usually at a funeral.
- Speaking highly of someone or something; the act of praising or commending someone or something.
- 1859, Wilkie Collins, The Woman in White[1]:
- It was the prettiest and most luxurious little sitting-room I had ever seen; and I admired it with the warmest enthusiasm. The solemn servant was far too highly trained to betray the slightest satisfaction. He bowed with icy deference when my terms of eulogy were all exhausted, and silently opened the door for me to go out into the passage again.
- 2013 August 14, Daniel Taylor, The Guardian[2]:
- The Southampton striker, who also struck a post late on, was being serenaded by the Wembley crowd before the end and should probably brace himself for some Lambert-mania over the coming days but, amid the eulogies, it should not overlook the deficiencies that were evident in another stodgy England performance.
Usage notes edit
Because the words eulogy and elegy sound and look similar and both concern speeches or poems associated with someone's death and funeral, they are easily confused. A simple key to remembering the difference is that an elegy is chiefly about lamenting whereas a eulogy is chiefly about praising (and eu- = "good").
Synonyms edit
Antonyms edit
Coordinate terms edit
- dirge, elegy, threnody – funeral song
- homily – funeral oration by clergy
- requiem – music played at a mass to honor a deceased person
Derived terms edit
Related terms edit
Translations edit
an oration to honor a deceased person
|
high praise or recommendation
|
References edit
- ^ “euloǧē, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
- ^ “eulogy, n.”, in OED Online
, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.
- ^ Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “eulogy (n.)”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
