Gratulation

/ɡrætʃəˈleɪʃən/ noun

Definition

The act of expressing joy, congratulations, or good wishes to someone.

Etymology

From Latin gratulatio, derived from gratulari meaning 'to wish joy.' The suffix -tion transforms the verb into a noun denoting the action or result of congratulating someone.

Kelly Says

Medieval and Renaissance writers used this word constantly in formal letters and ceremonies—it was the sophisticated way to say 'congrats' before we simplified the language over time.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.