Kudos – The Ancient Greek Word for Well Done

Kudos – Bravo! Well done!

Here’s yet another Greek word used frequently in English today taken from ancient Greek: Kudos (κῦδος – kydos), meaning praise and honour received for an achievement.

Synonyms of Kudos:

Prestige – Regard – Honour and Praise

Simply the best!

Kudos comes from the Greek word kydos, or glory (δόξα – doxa), meaning giving credit for an accomplishment and is also related to “what others hear about you” i.e. your good reputation.

Another Greek word often translated to kudos is kleos (κλέος) or doxa (δόξα).

Kleos – Immortal Fame

Triumph des Achill – 1894 – Fresco by Franz Matsch – Achillion Palace – Corfu

Kleos often meant conveying a hero’s glorious reputation through Greek epic poetry and is an especially significant theme in Homer’s epics, the Iliad and the Odyssey where it relates to the fame of the hero.

Kleos was traditionally handed down from father to son, deeming the son responsible for carrying on the glory of his father.

Doxa – Eternal Glory

Doxa – glory is a word commanding respect, excellence, and magnificence

Doxa, the Greek word meaning glory, is a word commanding respect, excellence, and magnificence and is a term used to describe God’s nature and actions.

The verb, doxazo, meaning  to magnify, extol or praise, means ascribing honor to God and acknowledging Him as to His being, attributes and actions.

Kudos came into the English language during the 1800s and reached America in the 1920s and 1930s, in modern English, kudos, is used to say, for example, a job well done or bonus points.

Related links:

Interesting ‘untranslatable’ Greek words