Third person singular of felicitate; to express congratulations or good wishes to someone.
From Latin felicitatus, past participle of felicitare (to make happy), derived from felix (happy, fortunate). The term evolved in English during the 17th century to mean offering formal congratulations.
While we use 'congratulate' today, 'felicitate' is actually the more etymologically pure word—it comes directly from the Latin word for happiness itself. When you felicitate someone, you're literally wishing happiness upon them, not just acknowledging their achievement.
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