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Tuesday November 16, 1999

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encomium \en-KOH-mee-uhm\ , noun;
plural encomiums or encomia \-mee-uh\:
An often formal expression of warm or high praise.

He ended with an encomium about her "high integrity and simple humanity" which ensured that "she loved her country, and her country loved her."
-- David Cameron, "Mourning service", The Guardian, April 3, 2002

The giant throws the butler into the lake, whereupon Charles delivers the perfunctory encomium, "Wickham was a good servant."
-- Jeremy Treglown, Romancing: The Life and Work of Henry Green

He brought in the bread, cheese and beer, with many high encomiums upon their excellence.
-- Charles Dickens, The Old Curiosity Shop

Encomium derives, via Latin, from Greek enkomion, from en-, "in" + komos, "revel."

Dictionary.com Entry and Pronunciation for encomium

 

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