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Webster 1913 Edition

Congratulate

Con-grat′u-late

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Congratulated
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Congratulating
.]
[L.
congratulatus
, p. p. of
congratulari
to wish joy abundantly;
con-
+
gratulari
to wish joy, from
gratus
pleasing. See
Grateful
.]
To address with expressions of sympathetic pleasure on account of some happy event affecting the person addressed; to wish joy to.
It is the king’s most sweet pleasure and affection to
congratulate
the princess at her pavilion.
Shakespeare
Syn. –
To Congratulate
,
Felicitate
.
To felicitate is simply to wish a person joy. To congratulate has the additional signification of uniting in the joy of him whom we congratulate. Hence they are by no means synonymous. One who has lost the object of his affections by her marriage to a rival, might perhaps felicitate that rival on his success, but could never be expected to congratulate him on such an event.
Felicitations
are little better than compliments;
congratulations
are the expression of a genuine sympathy and joy.
Trench.

Con-grat′u-late

,
Verb.
I.
To express of feel sympathetic joy;
as, to
congratulate
with one's country
.
[R.]
Swift.
The subjects of England may
congratulate
to themselves.
Dryden.

Webster 1828 Edition

Congratulate

CONGRATULATE

,
Verb.
T.
[L., grateful, pleasing. See Grace.] To profess ones pleasure or joy to another on account of an event deemed happy or fortunate, as on the birth of a child, success in an enterprise, victory, escape from danger, &c.; to wish joy to another. We congratulate the nation on the restoration of peace.
Formerly this verb was followed by to. The subjects of England may congratulate to themselves. But this use of to is entirely obsolete. The use of with after this verb, I congratulate with my country, is perhaps less objectionable, but is rarely used. The intransitive sense of the verb may therefore be considered as antiquated, and no longer legitimate.

Definition 2024

congratulate

congratulate

English

Alternative forms

Verb

congratulate ‎(third-person singular simple present congratulates, present participle congratulating, simple past and past participle congratulated)

  1. to express one’s sympathetic pleasure or joy to the person(s) it is felt for

Translations

Derived terms

Italian

Verb

congratulate

  1. second-person plural present indicative of congratulare
  2. second-person plural imperative of congratulare
  3. feminine plural of congratulato

Latin

Participle

congrātulāte

  1. vocative masculine singular of congrātulātus

Etymology

From Latin congratulor, from gratus ‎(“blessing”).

Pronunciation

  • (US) IPA(key): /kənˈɡɹæd͡ʒʊˌleɪt/, /kənˈɡɹæd͡ʒəˌleɪt/

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