acclaimed
/əˈkleɪmd/
adjective
Origin
Latin
acclamare — to shout at, to shout in approval
Overview
Meaning Now
- Publicly praised or celebrated; having received enthusiastic approval.
Literal older meaning
Called out to/towards
Language path
Latin → Middle French → English
Earliest form
acclaimed
Earliest period
17th century
Journey
The term derives from the Roman practice of 'acclamatio', where senators would chant or shout in unison to express approval or disapproval of a leader's actions. Over time, the negative sense of shouting at someone ('to cry out against') dropped away in English usage, leaving only the positive sense of public validation.
Evolution
- Latin
acclamare
“to shout in approval or disapproval”
Formed from the prefix 'ad-' (to) and 'clamare' (to shout).
- Middle French
acclamer
“to call out, proclaim”
- 17th Century English
acclaim
“to applaud or shout approval”
Initially used as a verb meaning to express strong approval.
- Modern English
acclaimed
“widely praised”
The participial adjective form established by the late 18th century.
Connections
Word parts
ac-
prefix
to, towards
claim
root
to call, cry out
-ed
suffix
past participle marker
Related across languages
French
acclamer
to acclaim
Italian
acclamare
to acclaim
Explore next
Related to acclaimed
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.