A.Word.A.Day--kudos

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The Magic of Words

Jun 11, 2010

This week's theme
Words that appear plural but aren't

This week's words
taxis
starets
congeries
shambles
kudos

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A.Word.A.Day

with Anu Garg

kudos

PRONUNCIATION:

(KOO-doz, -dos, KYOO-)

MEANING:

noun: Praise, honor, or credit.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Greek kydos (praise, renown).

NOTES:

The word kudos is a relatively recent addition to the English language. It entered the language as university slang in Britain, in the early 19th century. It's a singular word, in Greek and in English, but its plural-like appearance prompted some to coin a singular form by dropping the letter s. Many dictionaries (including the OED) now list the word kudo, though marked with an "erroneous" stamp. If the current trends are any indication, chances are over time kudo will drop the black mark on its reputation and become a well-respected word in the language, just as no one today objects to using the word pea (instead of pease) or cherry (instead of cherise).

USAGE:

"The Indian economy continues to grow at a healthy 8%. You and your team deserves kudos for that."
Raj Chengappa; Dear Dr Manmohan Singh; The Tribune (Chandigarh, India); May 21, 2010.

Explore "kudos" in the Visual Thesaurus.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

To profess to be doing God's will is a form of megalomania. -Joseph Prescott, aphorist (1913-2001)

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