laurel
UK: ˈlɒrəl | US: ˈlɔːrəl
n. 1. An evergreen shrub or small tree with glossy green leaves, historically associated with honor or victory.
n. 2. A crown or wreath made from laurel leaves, symbolizing achievement or distinction.
n. 3. (figurative) Honor or acclaim earned for notable accomplishment.
The word "laurel" traces back to the Latin laurus, referring to the laurel tree or its leaves. In ancient Rome, laurel wreaths were awarded to victors in poetry, athletics, and military conquests, cementing the plant's symbolic link to glory. The redundant "-l" in English likely arose from Old French lorier (laurel tree), influenced by Latin adjectival forms like laureolus. Over time, "laurel" retained its dual meaning as both the plant and a metaphor for triumph.
The poet was crowned with a laurel wreath at the ceremony.
She rested in the shade of a laurel tree.
Winning the Nobel Prize brought him eternal laurels.
The chef’s signature dish earned him culinary laurels.
Ancient Greeks adorned statues of Apollo with laurel branches.