panegyric

IPA/ˌpænəˈdʒɪrɪk/
IPA/ˌpænəˈdʒɪrɪk/

panegyric — noun

  • panegyricsingular
  • panegyricsplural

1. a long, formal statement or text that celebrates someone or something in glowing

1.nounC2
Definition

a long, formal statement or text that celebrates someone or something in glowing terms while leaving out faults or blame.

Example

At the retirement dinner, David delivered a long panegyric to the hospital founder.

deliver a panegyric to [person]

Mei's magazine essay became a panegyric to the city's old bookshops.

a panegyric to [thing]

Common collocations
  • deliver a panegyric
  • write a panegyric
  • a panegyric to
  • lavish panegyric
Synonyms
  • eulogy

    a formal speech of praise, especially for someone who has died

  • tribute

    broader; can be any act or statement showing admiration, not only an extended speech or text

  • encomium

    even more literary and rhetorical in tone

Antonyms
  • criticism

    an expression of disapproval rather than praise

  • diatribe

    a long, forceful attack instead of admiring praise

Grammar Patterns

deliver a panegyric to [person]

write a panegyric on [person/thing]

Usage Note

Usually appears in formal or literary English and often suggests praise that is excessive or one-sided. Common with verbs like 'deliver' and 'write', and far less common in everyday conversation than 'praise' or 'tribute'.

Common Mistakes

Her two-line email was a panegyric to the volunteers.
Her full newspaper column was a panegyric to the volunteers.
A panegyric is usually an extended, formal piece of praise, not a short casual message.
The report gave a balanced panegyric of the policy.
The report gave a balanced review of the policy.
'Panegyric' suggests strongly positive praise, not a neutral or balanced judgment.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All five words involve saying good things about someone or something, but 'panegyric' is the most openly grand and admiring. It often suggests a long speech or piece of writing that praises its subject so strongly that little or no criticism remains. 'Eulogy' is narrower: it is usually a formal speech for someone who has died. 'Tribute' is broader and can be a concert, an article, a gift, or another act of respect. 'Praise' is the everyday choice and fits both casual and formal situations. 'Encomium' is close to 'panegyric' but sounds even more literary. A critic might write a panegyric to a famous director, while a friend would simply offer praise.

panegyric ↗eulogy ↗tribute ↗praise ↗encomium ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • deliver a panegyric
  • write a panegyric
  • turn into a panegyric

Prepositions

Etymology

Ancient GreekLate LatinFrenchEnglish

From Ancient Greek 'panegyrikos', meaning 'for a public assembly', from 'panegyris' ('public gathering' or 'festival'). It passed through Late Latin and French before entering English. The word first referred to a formal speech addressed to a crowd and later narrowed to the modern sense of a speech or piece of writing full of enthusiastic praise.