ENGLISH
REFERENCE

homage

n. C / U
C1 Advanced US //ˈɑmədʒ// UK //hˈɒmɪdʒ// homage Archaic

n. something you do or say to show great respect for someone. It is often used when an artist makes a work that copies the style of a famous person they admire.

n. a public expression of high regard or respect; a creative work that acknowledges the influence of a predecessor.


SIMPLE

The director's new film is a beautiful homage to classic Hollywood.

CONTEXTUAL

The young musician performed a moving homage to her mentor during the award ceremony.

COMPLEX

The architect designed the building as a subtle homage to the modernist movement, incorporating clean lines and functional spaces that mirrored the work of his predecessors.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English homage, from Old French homage, hommage, from Medieval Latin homināticum (“homage, the service of a vassal or 'man'”), from Latin homō (“a man, in Medieval Latin a vassal”) + -āticum (noun-forming suffix). The American pronunciations in /-ɑːʒ/ and with silent h are due to confusion with the nearly synonymous doublet hommage, which is indeed pronounced /oʊˈmɑːʒ/.

Usage

Often used with the verb 'pay' ('to pay homage to') or as a noun phrase followed by 'to'.

Pitfall

he paid homage for his teacherhe paid homage to his teacherThe noun homage is followed by the preposition 'to' when identifying the recipient of the respect.

Idioms1 entry

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