Laudation

Laudation is the act of praising someone or something. The term can refer to the content of praise or to a formal public speech that extols a person, group, achievement, or idea. It derives from Latin laudatio, meaning a praising, from laudare, to praise, and entered English in the early modern period. In rhetoric, a laudation resembles a panegyric or encomium and is often delivered in ceremonial contexts, whether spoken or written.

Laudations are common in official or ceremonial settings, such as award presentations, lifetime achievement recognitions, or memorial services. The speaker presents evidence of merit, recounts notable deeds, and explains the significance of the honoree’s contributions. In academic, scientific, or cultural prize ceremonies, a formal laudation may accompany or precede the award.

Religious usage can also employ the concept of laudation in the sense of praising God or sacred figures, though the verb laud is more typical in devotional language. Laudation is related to, but distinct from, eulogy, encomium, and panegyric: a eulogy is often associated with the deceased, while a laudation can praise living individuals, institutions, or ideas, and may extend to non-human subjects as well.

See also: encomium, panegyric, eulogy, praise, rhetoric.