laureate Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun someone honored for great achievements; figuratively someone crowned with a laurel wreath
  2. adjective satellite worthy of the greatest honor or distinction
    • The nation's pediatrician laureate is preparing to lay down his black bag"- James Traub

WordNet

Lau"re*ate adjective
Etymology
L. laureatus, fr. laurea laurel tree, fr. laureus of laurel, fr. laurus laurel: cf. F. lauréat. Cf. Laurel.
Definitions
  1. Crowned, or decked, with laurel. Chaucer.
    To strew the laureate hearse where Lycid lies. Milton.
    Soft on her lap her laureate son reclines. Pope.
Lau"re*ate noun
Definitions
  1. One crowned with laurel; a poet laureate. "A learned laureate." Cleveland.
Lau"re*ate intransitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Laureated ; present participle & verbal noun Laureating
Definitions
  1. To honor with a wreath of laurel, as formerly was done in bestowing a degree at the English universities.

Webster 1913