: the recipient of honor or recognition for achievement in an art or science
a Nobel laureate
specifically
: poet laureate
lau·re·ate
ˈlȯr-ē-ˌāt 
ˈlär-
laureated; laureating
1
: to crown with or as if with a laurel wreath for excellence or achievement
2
: to appoint to the office of poet laureate
1
: honored for outstanding achievement in an art or science
This was a term coined in the 1950s by Nobel laureate chemist Irving Langmuir …—
Gary Taubes
see also poet laureate
Gary Taubes2
: crowned with laurel
Minted in France in 1807, the front of the medal shows the laureate head of Emperor Napoleon and, on the reverse, an eagle clutching a thunderbolt, part of the emperor's imperial seal.—Brice Stump
Brice StumpExamples of laureate in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 4 Mar. 2025
Economists, including the late Nobel laureate Gary Becker, have long entertained the idea of selling the right to immigrate.
—Tyler Cowen, Boston Herald, 4 Mar. 2025
Luke Berryman, New York Daily News, 27 Feb. 2025
Finally, for a broader perspective on leadership psychology, ReThinking with Adam Grant explores the science of success through conversations with diverse achievers, from Nobel laureates to Olympic champions.
—Cynthia Pong, Jd, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for laureate
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Noun
Wałęsa, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and leader of the anti-communist Solidarity movement, posted the letter on his Facebook page alongside an old photograph of himself with Trump.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 4 Mar. 2025
Economists, including the late Nobel laureate Gary Becker, have long entertained the idea of selling the right to immigrate.
—Tyler Cowen, Boston Herald, 4 Mar. 2025
Verb
What’s more, Germany was the seat of the Enlightenment, a capital of European culture, and the home of more than 30 Nobel laureates.
—Luke Berryman, New York Daily News, 27 Feb. 2025
Finally, for a broader perspective on leadership psychology, ReThinking with Adam Grant explores the science of success through conversations with diverse achievers, from Nobel laureates to Olympic champions.
—Cynthia Pong, Jd, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for laureate
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Cite this Entry
“Laureate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/laureate. Accessed 14 Mar. 2025.
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