# laureate

/ˈɫɔɹiət/ (US) · /lˈɔːɹiːt/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/laureate
Updated: 2026-05-07

## Definition

a person who has won a very important prize or honor for their work. It is most often used for people who win a Nobel Prize or a special poetry award.

For teachers: a person who is honored with an award for outstanding creative or intellectual achievement. Often used in specific titles such as 'Nobel laureate' or 'Poet Laureate'.

## Examples

- The Nobel laureate gave a speech about world peace.
- After winning the prestigious award, the laureate spent the year traveling to universities to share her research with students.
- The university invited several Nobel laureates to the symposium, hoping their presence would inspire the next generation of researchers to pursue high-impact scientific inquiries.

## Usage notes

- Often functions as a postpositive modifier in formal titles, such as 'Poet Laureate'.

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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.