What does encomiast mean?
An encomiast is a person who delivers praise, particularly in a formal, elaborate, or ceremonious manner. The word derives from the Greek-derived noun encomium, meaning a speech or composition of high praise, and refers to the speaker or writer of such tributes rather than to the tribute itself. Encomiasts appear throughout history wherever public honor is conferred: poets praising monarchs at court, orators delivering funeral eulogies, and writers composing dedications or commemorative addresses. The term belongs to a formal literary register and is uncommon in casual speech. Though it is largely neutral in denotation, encomiast can carry a subtle connotation of extravagance or excess, suggesting praise so lavish as to border on flattery. A reviewer might therefore describe a hagiographic biography as the work of an encomiast rather than a detached chronicler. Related forms include the adjective encomiastic, describing anything characterized by glowing praise. Knowing this word allows precise reference to the professional or habitual praiser — a role as old as rhetoric itself.
nounA person who delivers or writes an encomium; one who praises someone or something, often extravagantly.
- A person who praises, especially in a formal, elaborate, or extravagant way — as in eulogies, panegyrics, or dedicatory speeches.
"The retired senator's biographer was less a historian than a devoted encomiast."
"The poet served as court encomiast, composing verses that celebrated each royal victory in lavish detail."
"Critics dismissed the memoir as the work of an encomiast rather than a genuine biographer."
The standard plural follows regular English noun inflection.
"The ancient Greeks employed professional encomiasts to honor victors at the games."
An encomiast is the opposite of a critic — the person hired to make you sound like a saint at your own memorial.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of encomiast
Encomiast comes from the Greek enkōmiastēs, derived from enkōmion ("a song of praise"), itself formed from en- ("in") and kōmos ("revel, festive song"). The term passed into Latin before entering English around the early seventeenth century alongside its parent word encomium. Its cognates include the adjective encomiastic, which describes praise of the formal, celebratory kind.
Related word forms
How encomiast is actually used
Encomiast is a formal, literary word, rarely used in everyday conversation. It often carries a faint implication of excessive or uncritical flattery — an encomiast may be seen as sincere but overzealous. It appears most often in discussions of rhetoric, classical literature, and ceremonial writing such as eulogies and panegyrics.
Easily confused with encomiast
An encomium is the formal speech or written work of praise itself, while an encomiast is the person who delivers or writes it.
An economist is an expert in economics; despite the similar spelling and rhythm, it has no connection to praising.