# accolade

/ˈækəˌɫeɪd/ (US) · /ˈækəlˌeɪd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/accolade
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. praise or award

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

an award, prize, or special praise given to someone for their success.

For teachers: an expression of approval, a special acknowledgment, or an award for merit.

- The young scientist received the highest accolade for her research on climate change.
- Winning the Booker Prize is considered the ultimate accolade for any novelist writing in the English language.

Usage: Often used with the verbs 'receive', 'win', or 'bestow'.

### 2. knighthood ceremony

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Formal

a ceremony where someone is made a knight, usually by a light touch on the shoulder with a sword.

For teachers: a ceremonial salutation marking the conferring of knighthood, typically involving a light blow on the shoulders with the flat of a sword.

- The queen gave the soldier the accolade during the ceremony at the palace.
- The historical drama meticulously recreated the moment the squire received the accolade, transitioning from a commoner to a knight of the realm.

### 3. musical brace

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a vertical line or bracket that joins two or more lines of music to be played together.

For teachers: a brace or curly bracket used to join two or more staves in a musical score, indicating they should be performed simultaneously.

- The pianist noticed that the accolade on the first page was printed incorrectly.
- In complex orchestral scores, the accolade helps the conductor quickly identify which instruments are grouped into a single section.

### 4. architectural ornament

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a decorative curve used in buildings, often above a door or window.

For teachers: an ornament composed of two ogee curves meeting in the middle, typically found in Gothic architecture.

- The old stone doorway was decorated with a beautiful accolade.
- The restoration team spent weeks repairing the crumbling accolade above the cathedral's north entrance to preserve the original Gothic aesthetic.

### 5. to praise highly

verb · CEFR C2 · Formal · Literary

to give someone a lot of praise or a special award.

For teachers: to confer praise, awards, or high honors upon an individual or entity.

- The director was accoladed by his peers for his lifetime of work in film.
- Though the author was widely accoladed by critics, he remained humble and rarely made public appearances.

## Examples

- The young musician received many accolades for her performance.
- The architect's latest project earned her several international accolades for its innovative use of recycled materials.
- While the artist's early career was marked by critical acclaim, it was only after the retrospective that he received the accolades that cemented his legacy in the history of modern art.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.