praise

English

Etymology

From Middle English praisen, preisen, borrowed from Old French proisier, preisier (“to value, prize”), from Late Latin pretiō (“to value, prize”) from pretium (“price, worth, reward”). See prize. Displaced native Middle English lofen, loven (“to praise”) (from Old English lofian, compare Middle English and Old English lof (“praise”), see love, lofe, loff), Middle English herien (“to praise, glorify, celebrate”) (from Old English herian), Middle English rosen (“to praise, glorify”) (from Old Norse hrósa).

Pronunciation

• enPR: prāz, IPA^(key): /pɹeɪz/

• Audio (GA)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -eɪz
• Homophones: prays, preys

Noun

praise (countable and uncountable, plural praises)

1. commendation; favourable representation in words

   The writer's latest novel received great praise in the media.

   You deserve praise for the hard work you've done recently.

   She gave them some faint praise for their assignments, despite not being totally convinced by the quality.

   dim praise

2. worship

   praise of God

Synonyms

• See Thesaurus:praise

Antonyms

• blame
• criticize
• See Thesaurus:praise

Derived terms

Terms derived from praise (noun)

• damn with faint praise

• praise name
• praiseworthy

• sing the praises

Translations

commendation; favorable representation in words

• Arabic: مِدْحَة‎ f (midḥa), إِثْنَاء‎ m (ʾiṯnāʾ), إِطْرَاء‎ m (ʾiṭrāʾ), مَحْمَدَة‎ f (maḥmada)
• Armenian: գովեստ (hy) (govest)
• Azerbaijani: tərif (az), öymə, mədh
• Belarusian: пахвала́ f (paxvalá), хвала́ f (xvalá)
• Bengali: তারিফ (bn) (tarif)
• Catalan: alabança (ca) f, lloança (ca) f
• Chinese:

  Cantonese: 稱讚, 称赞 (cing¹ zaan³), 讚揚, 赞扬 (zaan³ joeng⁴), 表揚, 表扬 (biu² joeng⁴), 褒揚, 褒扬 (bou¹ joeng⁴), 稱道, 称道 (cing¹ dou⁶), 稱揚, 称扬 (cing¹ joeng⁴), 表彰 (biu² zoeng¹)

  Mandarin: 稱讚 (zh), 称赞 (zh) (chēngzàn), 讚揚 (zh), 赞扬 (zh) (zànyáng), 表揚 (zh), 表扬 (zh) (biǎoyáng), 褒揚 (zh), 褒扬 (zh) (bāoyáng), 稱道 (zh), 称道 (zh) (chēngdào), 稱揚 (zh), 称扬 (zh) (chēngyáng), 表彰 (zh) (biǎozhāng)

  Min Nan: 稱讚, 称赞 (chheng-chàn), 讚揚 (zh-min-nan), 赞扬 (chàn-iông), 表揚 (zh-min-nan), 表扬 (zh-min-nan) (piáu-iông), 褒揚, 褒扬 (po-iông), 表彰 (zh-min-nan) (piáu-chiong), 呵咾 (o-ló), 褒 (zh) (po)

• Czech: chvála (cs) f, pochvala f
• Dutch: lof (nl) m
• Egyptian: (jꜣw)
• Esperanto: laŭdo
• Finnish: ylistys (fi), kehu (fi), kehuminen (fi)
• French: louange (fr) f
• Friulian: laud m
• Galician: loanza f, gabanza f
• Georgian: შექება (šekeba), ქება (keba), ქება-დიდება (keba-dideba)
• German: Lob (de) n
• Gothic: 𐌷𐌰𐌶𐌴𐌹𐌽𐍃 f (hazeins)
• Greek:

  Ancient: αἴνεσις f (aínesis), ἔπαινος m (épainos), αἶνος (aînos)

• Hindi: तारीफ़ f (tārīf), प्रशंसा (hi) f (praśansā), स्तुति (hi) f (stuti), सिफत (hi) f (siphat), उपमा (hi) f (upmā)
• Hungarian: dicséret (hu)

• Icelandic: lof, hrós (is) n
• Indonesian: pujian (id)
• Irish: clú m
• Italian: elogio (it), lode (it) f, complimento (it) m
• Japanese: 賞賛 (しょうさん, shōsan)
• Kurdish:

  Northern Kurdish: pesn (ku)

• Latin: laus f
• Malayalam: പ്രശംസിക്കുക (ml) (praśaṃsikkuka), വാഴ്തുക (vāḻtuka), പുകഴ്തുക (pukaḻtuka), പ്രശംസിക്കുക (ml) (praśaṃsikkuka), പുകഴ്തുക (pukaḻtuka), വാഴ്തുക (vāḻtuka)
• Ngazidja Comorian: swifa 9 or 10
• Old Polish: sławosłowie (song of praise)
• Persian: ستایش‎ (fa) (setâyeš), ثنا‎ (fa) (sanâ), آفرین‎ (fa) (âfarin)
• Plautdietsch: Loff m
• Polish: pochwała (pl) f
• Portuguese: prezar (pt), louvor (pt)
• Romanian: laudă (ro) f, elogiu (ro) n, glorificare (ro) f
• Russian: похвала́ (ru) f (poxvalá), восхвале́ние (ru) n (vosxvalénije), хвала́ (ru) f (xvalá)
• Sanskrit: शँसति (sa) (śam̐sati), स्तौति (sa) (stauti), प्रशम्सा (praśamsā), स्तौति (sa) (stauti), शँसति (sa) (śam̐sati)
• Scottish Gaelic: cliù m, luaidh m, moladh m
• Slovak: chvála f, pochvala f
• Slovene: hvála (sl) f
• Spanish: alabanza (es) f, loa (es) f, enaltecimiento (es) m, elogio (es)
• Tamil: வௌகற (vaukaṟa)
• Telugu: పొగడ్త (te) (pogaḍta)
• Tocharian B: palauna, pālalñe
• Turkish: övgü (tr), methiye (tr)
• Ukrainian: похвала́ f (poxvalá)
• Urdu: تعریف‎ f (tārīf)
• Yiddish: לויב‎ f (loyb)

worship

• Arabic: عِبَادَة‎ f (ʿibāda), حَمْد‎ m (ḥamd)
• Chinese:

  Cantonese: 讚美, 赞美 (zaan³ mei⁵)

  Mandarin: 讚美 (zh), 赞美 (zh) (zànměi)

  Min Nan: 呵咾 (zh-min-nan) (o-ló), 讚美 (zh-min-nan), 赞美 (chàn-bí)

• Estonian: ülistamine
• Finnish: ylistys (fi), palvonta (fi)
• French: louange (fr) f
• German: Lob (de) n
• Hungarian: dicsőítés (hu)
• Italian: adorazione (it) f, gloria (it) f

• Japanese: 礼賛 (らいさん, raisan), 礼讃 (らいさん, raisan)
• Persian: ستایش‎ (fa) (setâyeš)
• Portuguese: louvor (pt), adoração (pt) f
• Romanian: devoțiune (ro) f, adorare (ro) f, venerare (ro) f, divinizare (ro) f
• Russian: прославле́ние (ru) n (proslavlénije), хвала́ (ru) f (xvalá)
• Scottish Gaelic: cliù m, luaidh m, moladh m
• Spanish: adoración (es)
• Swahili: shangilia (sw)
• Tagalog: papuri
• Telugu: భజన (te) (bhajana)
• Turkish: hamt (tr)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Dutch: ^{(please verify)} eerbetoon (nl)
• Italian: ^{(please verify)} lode (it) f, ^{(please verify)} elogio (it) m, ^{(please verify)} complimento (it) m
• Latin: ^{(please verify)} laus f

• Slovak: ^{(please verify)} chvála f, ^{(please verify)} pochvala f
• Spanish: ^{(please verify)} alabanza (es) f

Verb

praise (third-person singular simple present praises, present participle praising, simple past and past participle praised)

1. To give praise to; to commend, glorify, or worship.

   Be sure to praise Bobby for his excellent work at school this week.

   Some of the passengers were heard praising God as the stricken plane landed safely.

Antonyms

• blame

Derived terms

• overpraise
• underpraise
• unpraised

Translations

to give praise to

• Albanian: lëvdoj (sq), lavdëroj (sq)
• Arabic: مَدَحَ‎ (madaḥa), أَثْنَى‎ (ʾaṯnā), أَطْرَى‎ (ʾaṭrā), حَمِدَ‎ (ḥamida)

  Egyptian Arabic: حمد‎ (ḥamad) (God), مدح‎ (madaḥ) (others), شكر في‎ (šakar fi)

  Moroccan Arabic: حمد‎ (ḥmad) (God), مدح‎ (mdaḥ), شكر‎ (škar), شكر في‎ (škar fi)

• Armenian: գովել (hy) (govel)
• Aromanian: alavdu
• Azerbaijani: öymək (az), tərifləmək (az)
• Bashkir: маҡтау (maqtaw)
• Belarusian: хвалі́ць impf (xvalícʹ)
• Breton: feurmiñ (br)
• Bulgarian: хваля́ (bg) impf (hvaljá)
• Catalan: lloar (ca)
• Chinese:

  Cantonese: 讚, 赞 (zaan³), 讚美, 赞美 (zaan³ mei⁵) (worship)

  Mandarin: 讚揚 (zh), 赞扬 (zh) (zànyáng), 稱讚 (zh), 称赞 (zh) (chēngzàn), 表揚 (zh), 表扬 (zh) (biǎoyáng), 誇獎 (zh), 夸奖 (zh) (kuājiǎng), 讚美 (zh), 赞美 (zh) (zànměi) (worship)

• Cornish: gormel, praysya
• Czech: chválit (cs) impf
• Danish: rose (da)
• Dutch: loven (nl), prijzen (nl), eren (nl)
• Egyptian: (dwꜣ)
• Esperanto: laŭdi
• Estonian: ülistama
• Faroese: rósa
• Finnish: ylistää (fi), kehua (fi), palvoa (fi)
• French: louer (fr), féliciter (fr), prôner (fr), vénérer (fr)
• Friulian: laudâ
• Galician: loar (gl), gabar (gl)
• German: loben (de), preisen (de)
• Gothic: 𐌷𐌰𐌶𐌾𐌰𐌽 (hazjan)
• Greek: επαινώ (el) (epainó), εγκωμιάζω (el) (egkomiázo)

  Ancient: αἰνέω (ainéō), ἐπαινέω (epainéō)

• Hebrew: שיבח \ שִׁבֵּחַ‎ (shibéakh)
• Hindi: तारीफ़ करन (tārīf karan)
• Hungarian: dicsér (hu), méltat (hu), dicsőít (hu)
• Icelandic: hrósa
• Ido: laudar (io)
• Irish: mol, cuach

  Old Irish: molaidir

• Italian: lodare (it), elogiare (it)
• Japanese: 褒める (ja) (ほめる, homeru), 称える (たたえる, tataeru), 讃える (たたえる, tataeru), 賞賛する (しょうさんする, shōsan suru)
• Korean: 칭찬하다 (ko) (chingchanhada)
• Kurdish:

  Northern Kurdish: ^{(please verify)} pesinandin (ku), ^{(please verify)} pesn dan (ku), ^{(please verify)} meth kirin (ku)

• Ladino: loar (לואר)

• Latin: laudo (la)
• Latvian: slavēt (lv)
• Lithuanian: gìrti (lt), pagìrti
• Macedonian: фали impf (fali)
• Malay: memuji
• Manx: moyl
• Maore Comorian: usifu
• Mirandese: agabar
• Ngazidja Comorian: uhimiɗia
• Norwegian: rose (no)
• Occitan: lausar (oc)
• Old Church Slavonic:

  Cyrillic: хвалити impf (xvaliti)

• Old English: herian
• Old Norse: hrósa
• Persian: ستودن‎ (fa) (setudan), تعریف کردن‎ (ta'rif kardan)
• Polish: chwalić (pl) impf, pochwalić (pl) pf
• Portuguese: louvar (pt), enaltecer (pt), elogiar (pt)
• Romanian: lăuda (ro), slăvi (ro), proslăvi (ro)
• Romansch: ludar, luder, lodar
• Russian: хвали́ть (ru) impf (xvalítʹ), похвали́ть (ru) pf (poxvalítʹ), восхваля́ть (ru) impf (vosxvaljátʹ), превозноси́ть (ru) impf (prevoznosítʹ)
• Sanskrit: ईडयति (sa) (īḍayati), स्तौति (sa) (stauti)
• Sardinian: alabai, alabare
• Scottish Gaelic: mol, luaidh
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: хвалити impf

  Roman: hvaliti (sh) impf

• Slovak: chváliť impf, pochváliť pf
• Slovene: hvaliti (sl) impf
• Spanish: alabar (es), elogiar (es), ensalzar (es), enaltecer (es), loar (es)
• Swahili: shangilia (sw)
• Swedish: berömma (sv)
• Tajik: таъриф кардан (taʾrif kardan), сутудан (sutudan)
• Telugu: పొగడు (te) (pogaḍu), భజించు (te) (bhajiñcu), మెచ్చుకొను (te) (meccukonu)
• Thai: ยกย่อง (th) (yók-yɔ̂ng), สรรเสริญ (th) (sǎn-sə̌ən)
• Tocharian A: päl-
• Tocharian B: päl-
• Turkish: övmek (tr)
• Ukrainian: хвали́ти impf (xvalýty)
• Urdu: تعریف کرنا‎ (tārīf karnā)
• Vietnamese: khen ngợi (vi)
• Welsh: canmol (cy), clodfori (cy), moli (cy), moliannu (cy)
• Westrobothnian: höläs
• Yiddish: לויבן‎ (loybn)
• Zulu: -bonga, -dumisa
• ǃXóõ: da̰ã

Further reading

• praise in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• praise in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Anagrams

• Arispe, Parise, Pearis, Persia, aspire, paires, paries, spirea

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Scottish Gaelic

Noun

praise f

1. genitive singular of prais