English Explanatory Dictionary

congratulate

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To express one’s sympathetic pleasure or joy to the person(s) it is felt for
  2. To consider oneself fortunate in some matter.

Pronunciation

/kənˈɡɹæt͡ʃ.ʊˌleɪt/ /-t͡ʃ.ə-/ En-uk-congratulate.ogg en-us-congratulate.ogg /kənˈɡɹæd͡ʒ.ʊˌleɪt/ /-d͡ʒ.ə-/

Word forms

congratulate congratulates congratulating congratulated gratulate

Etymology

First attested in 1548; borrowed from Latin congrātulātus, the perfect active participle of Latin congrātulor (“to wish joy, rejoice (with); to congratulate”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from con- + grātulor, from grātus (“grateful, pleasing, agreeable, beloved”) + -or. By surface analysis, con- + gratulate.

Synonyms

felicitate compliment

Related words

congratulation congratulations

Derived words

congratulable congratulant congratulating congratulative congratulator congratulatory recongratulate self-congratulate uncongratulated uncongratulating
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