felicitate

English edit

Etymology edit

From Latin felicitatus, past participle of fēlīcitō (“to felicitate”), from fēlīx (“happy”).

Verb edit

felicitate (third-person singular simple present felicitates, present participle felicitating, simple past and past participle felicitated)

(transitive) To congratulate.
- 1838, [Letitia Elizabeth] Landon (indicated as editor), chapter XV, in Duty and Inclination: […], volume III, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 196:
  […] we contemplate death under quite a different aspect;—creating in us such sweet influences of joy, that our beloved brethren, under one common Father, have attained what we ought all to be in search of, the heavenly goal, that rather than repine at this their advancement, we sincerely felicitate them.
- 1934 October, George Orwell [pseudonym; Eric Arthur Blair], “Chapter 25”, in Burmese Days, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, Publishers, →OCLC:
  […] he waddled to the platform, bowed as low as his belly would permit, and was duly decorated and felicitated […]
- 1938, Norman Lindsay, Age of Consent, 1st Australian edition, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1962, →OCLC, page 74:
  Still, he tucked in handsomely to bacon and tomato on fried bread, felicitating himself on the considered wisdom of his arrival in the character of guest to Bradly.

Related terms edit

Translations edit

congratulate — see congratulate

Adjective edit

felicitate (comparative more felicitate, superlative most felicitate)

(archaic) Made very happy.
- c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:
  I am alone felicitate / In your dear highness' love.