panegyric

panegyric
panegyrical, adj.panegyrically, adv.
/pan'i jir"ik, -juy"rik/, n.
1. a lofty oration or writing in praise of a person or thing; eulogy.
2. formal or elaborate praise.
[1590-1600; < L, n. use of panegyricus of, belonging to a public assembly < Gk panegyrikós, equiv. to panégyr(is) solemn assembly (pan- PAN- + -egyris, comb. form of ágyris gathering; cf. CATEGORY) + -ikos -IC]
Syn. 1. homage, tribute, encomium.

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Eulogistic oration or laudatory discourse.

The panegyric originally was a speech delivered at an ancient Greek general assembly (panegyris), such as the Olympic and Panathenaic festivals. Speakers frequently advocated Hellenic unity by expounding on the former glories of Greek cities; hence the elaborate and flowery connotations of the term. Later Roman speakers praised and flattered eminent persons, especially emperors, in panegyrics. The form was also used in the European Middle Ages, Renaissance, and Baroque era.

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      eulogistic oration or laudatory discourse that originally was a speech delivered at an ancient Greek general assembly (panegyris), such as the Olympic and Panathenaic festivals. Speakers frequently took advantage of these occasions, when Greeks of various cities were gathered together, to advocate Hellenic unity. With this end in view and also in order to gratify their audience, they tended to expatiate on the former glories of Greek cities; hence came the encomiastic associations that eventually clung to the term panegyric. The most famous ancient Greek panegyrics to survive intact are the Panegyricus (c. 380 BC) and the Panathenaicus (c. 340 BC), both by Isocrates.

      Akin to panegyric was the epitaphion, or funeral oration, such as Pericles' funeral speech as recorded by Thucydides, a panegyric both on war heroes and on Athens itself.

      In the 2nd century AD, Aelius Aristides, a Greek rhetorician, combined praise of famous cities with eulogy of the reigning Roman emperor. By his time panegyric had probably become specialized in the latter connection and was, therefore, related to the old Roman custom of celebrating at festivals the glories of famous men of the past and of pronouncing laudationes funebres at the funerals of eminent persons.

      Another kind of Roman eulogistic speech was the gratiarum actio (“thanksgiving”), delivered by a successful candidate for public office. The XII Panegyrici Latini, an ancient collection of these speeches, includes the gratiarum actio delivered by Pliny the Younger when he was nominated consul by the emperor Trajan in AD 100. Late Roman writers of the 3rd to the 5th century indiscriminately praised and flattered the emperors in panegyrics that were sometimes written in verse.

      Although primarily a literary form associated with classical antiquity, panegyric continued to be written on occasion in the European Middle Ages, often by Christian mystics in praise of God, and in the Renaissance and Baroque periods, especially in Elizabethan England, in Spain during the Golden Age, and in France under the reign of Louis XIV.

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  • Panegyric — Pan e*gyr ic, n. [L. panegyricus, Gr. panhgyrico s: cf. F. pan[ e]gyrique. See {Panegyric}, a.] An oration or eulogy in praise of some person or achievement; a formal or elaborate encomium; a laudatory discourse; laudation. See Synonym of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Panegyric — Pan e*gyr ic, Panegyrical Pan e*gyr ic*al, a. [L. panegyricus, Gr. panhgyrico s, from panh gyris an assembly of the people, a high festival; pa^, pa^n all + a gyris, agora , an assembly.] Containing praise or eulogy; encomiastic; laudatory.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • panegyric — index mention (tribute) Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • panegyric — (n.) c.1600, eulogy, laudation, from Fr. panégyrique (1510s), from L. panegyricus public eulogy, originally an adjective, from Gk. panegyrikos (logos) (a speech) given in a public assembly, from panegyris public assembly in honor of a god, from… …   Etymology dictionary

  • panegyric — tribute, eulogy, *encomium, citation Analogous words: commendation, applauding or applause, complimenting or compliment (see corresponding verbs at COMMEND): acclaiming or acclaim, laudation, praising or praise, extolling or extollation (see… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • panegyric — ► NOUN ▪ a speech or text in praise of someone or something. DERIVATIVES panegyrical adjective. ORIGIN from Greek pan gurikos of public assembly …   English terms dictionary

  • panegyric — [pan΄ə jir′ik, pan΄əjī′rik] n. [Fr panégyrique < L panegyricus < Gr panēgyris, public meeting < pan, all (see PAN ) + ageirein, to bring together] 1. a formal speech or piece of writing praising a person or event 2. high or hyperbolic… …   English World dictionary

  • Panegyric — A panegyric is a formal public speech, or (in later use) written verse, delivered in high praise of a person or thing, a generally highly studied and discriminating eulogy, not expected to be critical. It is derived from Greek meaning a speech… …   Wikipedia

  • panegyric — n. to deliver a panegyric * * * [ˌpænɪ dʒɪrɪk] to deliver a panegyric …   Combinatory dictionary

  • panegyric — [[t]pæ̱nɪʤɪ̱rɪk[/t]] panegyrics N COUNT A panegyric is a speech or piece of writing that praises someone or something. [FORMAL] ...Prince Charles s panegyric on rural living. Syn: eulogy …   English dictionary

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