You searched for: “accolade
accolade (s) (noun), accolades (pl)
1. An expression of approval; praise; an honor, or laudatory notice: The novel received accolades from various reviewers including positive feedback from critics.
2. A special acknowledgment; an award: Mack was very pleased with the accolade which he received at the university when he received the honorary degree.
3. A ceremonial bestowal of knighthood; a light touch on the shoulder with the flat side of the sword or formerly by an embrace, done during the ceremony of conferring knighthood: The squire knelt before the king and received an accolade, rising as a knight, Sir William Belt.
4. Etymology: from French, acolada from Vulgar Latin accollare, from Latin ad-, "to" plus collum, "neck".

The original sense is of an embrace around the neck or the tapping of a sword on the shoulders to confer knighthood; then the extended meaning became "praise, award".

Recognition of special merit or a reward.
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This entry is located in the following units: -ade (page 1) coll-, col- (page 1)
Word Entries at Get Words: “accolade
An expression of approval; praise; any award, honor, or laudatory notice; a special acknowledgment; an award. (1)