What does applauder mean?
An applauder is a person who applauds — that is, someone who claps their hands, or otherwise visibly expresses approval, in response to a performance, speech, accomplishment, or idea. The word is a straightforward agent noun built on the verb 'applaud', which entered English from Latin via French, and it can describe both literal clapping at a concert or theatre and figurative praise for a person's work or opinions. In practice, 'applauder' is far less common than its parent verb or the collective noun 'applause', since English speakers tend to speak of whole audiences rather than individuals within them. When used, it carries a neutral to warmly positive tone, suggesting open admiration or support. Writers reach for it when they want to single out a particular person as a source of praise — for instance, describing someone as 'an early applauder of' a policy or artist. Its rarity makes it a precise, slightly formal choice that highlights the human act behind every round of applause.
nounA person who applauds; someone who claps or otherwise expresses approval or praise for a performance, achievement, or statement.
- A person who claps to show approval or appreciation, especially at a performance or public event.
- More broadly, a person who openly praises or supports someone's actions, ideas, or achievements.
"As the curtain fell, she remained an enthusiastic applauder long after the rest of the house had gone quiet."
"The pianist bowed to the applauders who had risen from their seats."
"He was one of the earliest and most consistent applauders of her reform proposals."
Standard plural, used when referring to multiple people applauding, often as a group such as an audience.
"The applauders would not stop until the cast returned for a third bow."
We talk about applause all the time, yet almost never name the people producing it — 'applauder' is the rare word that finally gives the clappers their due.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of applauder
'Applauder' derives from the verb 'applaud', which English borrowed from French 'applaudir', ultimately from the Latin 'applaudere', meaning 'to strike together' or 'to clap'. The Latin root 'plaudo-' also gave rise to 'applause', the noun 'plaudit', and, more distantly, words such as 'plausible' (from 'plausibilis') and even 'explode', which originally meant to drive someone off stage by clapping. The '-er' suffix simply marks the doer of the action, following the standard English pattern for forming agent nouns.
Related word forms
How applauder is actually used
An agent noun formed with the common '-er' suffix, 'applauder' is grammatically straightforward but stylistically uncommon: English speakers usually refer to audiences or crowds rather than individual applauders. It carries a neutral to positive connotation and appears more often in formal or literary writing than in everyday speech.
Easily confused with applauder
Applause is the clapping or expression of approval itself, while an applauder is the person who performs it.
A plaudit is a spoken or written expression of praise, whereas an applauder expresses approval by clapping.