noun · verb · 12 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈæk.əˌleɪd/
Received-Pronunciation:/ˌæk.əˈlɑd/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Received-Pronunciation, US:/ˈæk.əˌleɪd/
Received-Pronunciation, US:/ˈæ.kəˌleɪd/
CMU ARPABET:AE1 K AH0 L EY2 D
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
An expression of approval; praise.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
The scientist received the highest accolade in her field for the groundbreaking discovery.
Winning the championship brought the team immense accolade from sports analysts worldwide.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A special acknowledgment; an award.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
This film is likely to pick up major accolades.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
An embrace of greeting or salutation.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A salutation marking the conferring of knighthood, consisting of an embrace or a kiss, and a slight blow on the shoulders with the flat of a sword.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: historical
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
A brace used to join two or more staves.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: entertainment, lifestyle, music
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
A written presidential certificate recognizing service by military personnel or civilians serving the US armed forces who died or were wounded in action between 1917 and 1918, or who died in service between 1941 and 1947, or died of wounds received in Korea between June 27, 1950 and July 27, 1954.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
An ornament composed of two ogee curves meeting in the middle, each concave toward its outer extremity and convex toward the point at which it meets the other.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: architecture
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
noun
Meaning 8
Synonym of curly bracket.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: media, publishing, typography
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: curly bracket
Antonyms: none provided
9
verb
Meaning 9
To embrace or kiss in salutation.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
10
verb
Meaning 10
To confer a knighthood on.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: historical, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
11
verb
Meaning 11
To confer praise or awards on.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
an accoladed novel
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
12
noun
Meaning 12
a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
an award for bravery
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: award, honor, honour, laurels
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: symbol
Narrower terms: trophy, prize, aliyah, academic degree, degree, pennant, crown, cachet, seal, seal of approval, citation, commendation, mention, honorable mention, letter, varsity letter, decoration, laurel wreath, medal, medallion, palm, ribbon, Emmy, Nobel prize, Academy Award, Oscar, Prix de Rome, Prix Goncourt
History
Etymology
First use appears c. 1591 in the publications of Thomas Lodge, borrowed from French accolade, from Occitan acolada (“an embrace”), from acolar (“to embrace”), from Italian accollato, via Vulgar Latin *accollō (“to hug around the neck”), from Latin ad- + collum (“neck”) (English collar) + -āta.
Across languages
Translations
65 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
възхвала
(vǎzhvala)
— an expression of approval; praise
Catalan:
elogi
— an expression of approval; praise
Danish:
akkolade
— an expression of approval; praise
Finnish:
kunnianosoitus
— an expression of approval; praise
Finnish:
huomionosoitus
— an expression of approval; praise
Galician:
alaudo
— an expression of approval; praise
Galician:
gabanza
— an expression of approval; praise
Galician:
louvor
— an expression of approval; praise
German:
Anerkennung
— an expression of approval; praise
German:
Lob
— an expression of approval; praise
Italian:
elogio
— an expression of approval; praise
Māori:
whakamanahau
— an expression of approval; praise
Portuguese:
elogio
— an expression of approval; praise
Portuguese:
louvor
— an expression of approval; praise
Russian:
похвала́
(poxvalá)
— an expression of approval; praise
Russian:
панеги́рик
(panegírik)
— an expression of approval; praise
Serbo-Croatian:
по̏хвала
— an expression of approval; praise
Serbo-Croatian:
pȍhvala
— an expression of approval; praise
Slovak:
ovácie
— an expression of approval; praise
Spanish:
elogio
— an expression of approval; praise
Spanish:
espaldarazo
— an expression of approval; praise
Spanish:
loor
— an expression of approval; praise
Danish:
akkolade
— a special acknowledgment; an award
Finnish:
palkinto
— a special acknowledgment; an award
Galician:
galardón
— a special acknowledgment; an award
Galician:
premio
— a special acknowledgment; an award
Galician:
recoñecemento
— a special acknowledgment; an award
German:
Auszeichnung
— a special acknowledgment; an award
Italian:
riconoscimento
— a special acknowledgment; an award
Portuguese:
galardão
— a special acknowledgment; an award
Portuguese:
reconhecimento
— a special acknowledgment; an award
Serbo-Croatian:
призна́ње
— a special acknowledgment; an award
Serbo-Croatian:
priznánje
— a special acknowledgment; an award
Slovak:
ocenenie
— a special acknowledgment; an award
Spanish:
galardón
— a special acknowledgment; an award
Catalan:
bescollada
— a salutation marking the conferring of knighthood
Chinese Mandarin:
剑面击肩礼
— a salutation marking the conferring of knighthood
Chinese Mandarin:
授予骑士称号
— a salutation marking the conferring of knighthood
Danish:
akkolade
— a salutation marking the conferring of knighthood
Dutch:
accolade
— a salutation marking the conferring of knighthood
Dutch:
ridderslag
— a salutation marking the conferring of knighthood
Finnish:
ritariksilyönti
— a salutation marking the conferring of knighthood
Galician:
acolada
— a salutation marking the conferring of knighthood
German:
Ritterschlag
— a salutation marking the conferring of knighthood
German:
Akkolade
— a salutation marking the conferring of knighthood
German:
Schwertleite
— a salutation marking the conferring of knighthood
Italian:
ordinazione
— a salutation marking the conferring of knighthood
Portuguese:
acolada
— a salutation marking the conferring of knighthood
Russian:
аккола́да
(akkoláda)
— a salutation marking the conferring of knighthood
Slovak:
pasovanie
— a salutation marking the conferring of knighthood
Spanish:
acolada
— a salutation marking the conferring of knighthood
Spanish:
espaldarazo
— a salutation marking the conferring of knighthood
Ukrainian:
акола́да
(akoláda)
— a salutation marking the conferring of knighthood
Bulgarian:
аколада
(akolada)
— (music) a brace used to join two or more staves
Danish:
akkolade
— (music) a brace used to join two or more staves
Dutch:
accolade
— (music) a brace used to join two or more staves
French:
accolade
— (music) a brace used to join two or more staves
German:
Akkolade
— (music) a brace used to join two or more staves
Polish:
akolada
— (music) a brace used to join two or more staves
Russian:
аккола́да
(akkoláda)
— (music) a brace used to join two or more staves
Ukrainian:
акола́да
(akoláda)
— (music) a brace used to join two or more staves
Italian:
arco inflesso
— (architecture) an ornament
Chinese Mandarin:
拥吻礼
— To embrace or kiss
Chinese Mandarin:
授予骑士称号
— To confer a knighthood on
Chinese Mandarin:
授奖于
— To confer a praise or an award on
