plauds

Plauds is the third-person singular present tense of the verb plaud, an English verb meaning to express approval by clapping or to praise. The verb plaud and its form plauds are now rare in everyday use and are mostly found in historical, literary, or formal contexts. In modern English, the verb applaud is generally preferred, and writers typically use phrases such as the audience applauds or the critics praise instead of the archaic form plauds.

The related noun plaudit refers to an expression of praise or an instance of applause; the plural plaudits is common and widely used in contemporary English to describe public praise or acclaim, especially in journalism or literary writing. The noun plaudit and its plural plaudits appear in phrases like receive plaudits or the plaudits of critics.

Etymology: The verb plaud derives from Latin plaudere “to clap, applaud,” via Old French or other intermediaries. The noun plaudit and its plural plaudits derive from the same root. In English, plaudit has long existed alongside applaud and applause, with plaudits maintaining a somewhat formal or rhetorical flavor.

Usage notes: Because plaud is archaic or literary, it is rarely used outside certain stylistic registers. It may appear in historical texts, poetry, or descriptive prose that aims to evoke an older diction. In scientific or journalistic writing, applaud or praise is preferred. See also: applaud, applause, plaudit, plaudits.