Expressing joy or congratulations to someone on their success or good fortune.
From Latin gratulari meaning 'to wish joy to,' from gratus meaning 'pleasing' or 'grateful.' The word evolved through Middle English and Old French into modern English congratulation, with gratulating as its present participle form.
This word is basically the grandfather of 'congratulate'—they share the same Latin root, but gratulating sounds more formal and old-fashioned, which is why you'll mostly find it in historical texts or very formal ceremonies.
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