Eulogy
noun /ˈjuː.lə.dʒi/ — A speech praising someone, often after death.
Definition
A speech or piece of writing that praises someone highly, especially one given at a funeral or memorial service; formal commendation.
Beyond the definition
Eulogy is the word for the impossible speech — the attempt to fit a life into a few minutes of language. The best eulogies reach past loss into something true about the person: not what they achieved but what it felt like to know them. The word carries both grief and gratitude.
Origin & history
From Greek eulogia ('praise'), from eu- ('well') + logos ('word, speech'). The good word said of someone — and typically said when it is too late for them to hear it.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
She delivered the eulogy without breaking down, which she later said was the hardest thing she had ever done.
The eulogy captured everything that made him difficult to describe in ordinary conversation.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Eulogy” when the meaning fits your context: A speech or piece of writing that praises someone highly, especially one given at a funeral or memorial service; formal commendation.
Synonyms
tribute, encomium, panegyric, commemoration, homage
Antonyms
condemnation, criticism, denunciation, censure
Related words
- tribute
- elegy
- encomium
- obituary
Eulogy vs elegy
An elegy is a poem or piece of music of mourning — an artistic meditation on loss, which may or may not address a specific person. A eulogy is specifically a speech of praise delivered for someone, most commonly at a funeral or memorial. Both are bound to death, but an elegy is a literary form expressing grief, while a eulogy is a practical speech performing tribute. The elegy mourns; the eulogy honours. An elegy can exist without a body in the room; a eulogy is always spoken to the living in memory of someone.
Compare this word
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Honoring the weight of past records
An adult stands in a quiet archive, holding an ancient, heavy book open and reflecting on its handwritten contents with respect.
The act of holding this book with such care is a form of formal, deep commendation of the past. It mirrors the purpose of a eulogy, which is to honor and praise someone or something of great significance.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Eulogy" mean?
Eulogy is noun meaning: A speech praising someone, often after death.. A speech or piece of writing that praises someone highly, especially one given at a funeral or memorial service; formal commendation.
Where does the word "Eulogy" come from?
From Greek eulogia ('praise'), from eu- ('well') + logos ('word, speech'). The good word said of someone — and typically said when it is too late for them to hear it.