kudos
intjEtymology Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek κῦδος (kûdos, “praise, renown”).
1
An interjection indicating praise or approval or as an acknowledgement of a laudable achievement.
kudos
nounAU, UK /ˈk(j)uː.dɒs/ · US /ˈkuˌdoʊz/
Etymology Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek κῦδος (kûdos, “praise, renown”).
1
Praise; accolades.
- The talented, young playwright received much kudos for his new drama.
- I gave Chelsea much kudos for the birth of her first daughter.
4 more examples
- Well, I will tell you this. Use your warrant: Arrest Mr. Inglethorp. But it will bring you no kudos—the case against him will be dismissed at once!1920, Agatha Christie, The Mysterious Affair at Styles:
- So while recording or sampling a Charlie Manson track […] makes for shock rock kudos aplenty, a devotion to Hubbard is kryptonite for credibility.2006 March 25, Jonathan Leggett, “Cult musicians”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 26 Feb 2025:
- Allen Gregory DeLongpre: Pat, I gotta tell you, you did a lot of things right with this lunch―kudos. You got back quickly, you showed initiative, and, best of all, you left plenty of room for improvement.2011 Allen Gregory, "1 Night in Gottlieb" (season 1, episode 2)
- And… and to that… to that Turkish horse, I say this, “You should not step on people’s balls, but, in this solitary instance, kudos, horse, kudos.”2014, Tim Carvell [et al.], “The Lottery”, in Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, season 1, episode 24, John Oliver (actor), Warner Bros. Television, via HBO:
2
Credit for one's achievements.
- Meanwhile Nanny Broome was recovering from her initial panic and seemed anxious to make up for any kudos she might have lost, by exerting her personality to the utmost. She took the policeman's helmet and placed it on a chair, and unfolded his tunic to shake it and fold it up again for him.1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 19, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC: