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Meaning & use

homage

noun·Advancedformal

Last updated

UK/ˈhɒmɪdʒ/
US/ˈhɑːmɪdʒ/

Meanings

  1. noununcountableformal

    Open respect or honor shown to someone, especially a person who is admired or powerful.

    Grammar: Usually follows pay or show: she paid homage to her mentor.

    Patterns

    • pay homage to someone
    • in homage to someone

    Thousands gathered to pay homage to the late singer.

    The mayor paid homage to the town's founders.

    In homage to her teacher, she opened the book with his poem.

  2. nouncountable

    A work of art that deliberately imitates the style of another, to honor it.

    Grammar: Often a homage to: the film is a homage to silent movies.

    Patterns

    • a homage to something

    The film is a loving homage to old westerns.

    The restaurant's design is a homage to 1950s diners.

    Her new song is an homage to the band's early sound.

  3. noununcountablespecialist

    In medieval times, a public ceremony in which a vassal swore loyalty to a lord.

    Grammar: Historical sense: do homage to a lord.

    Patterns

    • do homage to someone

    The knight knelt to do homage to the king.

    The barons gave homage at the coronation.

    Homage bound a vassal to his lord.

Common combinations

pay homage to
Fans paid homage to the player.
in homage to
The statue was raised in homage to the hero.
show homage
He showed homage to his elders.
loving homage
The novel is a loving homage to detective stories.
do homage
The vassal did homage to his lord.

Synonyms and how they differ

tribute
Tribute is the closest word, and also covers gifts or payments, while homage stresses respect.
respect
Respect is everyday and general, while homage suggests a public or formal show of honor.
reverence
Reverence suggests deep, almost religious respect.
veneration
Veneration is even stronger and often religious.

Opposites

disrespectcontemptscorn

Word family

homager noun
a medieval person who owes homage to a lord
hommage noun
the French form from which the English word comes

Commonly confused: homage or homeage? homage or hostage?

homage vs homeage

Homeage is a common misspelling and is not a word. Spell it homage.

homage vs hostage

A hostage is a person held captive, which has no connection to honoring someone.

Practice

The musician's new album is an ____ to jazz from the 1950s.

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