Meaning & use
laurel wreath
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Meanings
nouncountable
A ring of laurel leaves worn on the head, given in ancient times to winners and later used as a symbol of victory or honor.
Grammar: A countable noun: a laurel wreath, two laurel wreaths.
Patterns
- crown someone with a laurel wreath
- wear a laurel wreath
The statue shows the emperor wearing a laurel wreath.
In ancient games, winners received a laurel wreath instead of a gold medal.
He placed a laurel wreath on the poet's tomb.
nouncountable
A design or emblem showing laurel leaves arranged in a circle or arc, used on coins, badges, logos and film posters.
Grammar: Often used before another noun: a laurel wreath design.
Patterns
- laurel wreath on something
- a laurel wreath design
The film poster carried a gold laurel wreath for every festival award.
Her tattoo is a small laurel wreath around a date.
Old Roman coins often have a laurel wreath around the emperor's head.
Word forms
| plural | laurel wreaths |
|---|
Common combinations
- wear a laurel wreath
- The actor wore a laurel wreath in the school play about Caesar.
- crown with a laurel wreath
- The winner was crowned with a laurel wreath.
- gold laurel wreath
- A gold laurel wreath surrounded the festival logo.
- laurel wreath emblem
- The club's laurel wreath emblem stands for victory.
- carved laurel wreath
- A carved laurel wreath ran along the top of the doorway.
Synonyms and how they differ
- laurels
- Laurels is a plural, often figurative word for honor and praise won by success, whereas laurel wreath is the physical object or emblem.
- garland
- A garland is any decorative ring or chain of flowers or leaves, while a laurel wreath is specifically laurel and suggests victory.
- chaplet
- A chaplet is a smaller, old-fashioned circlet worn on the head, and it need not be made of laurel.
- crown
- A crown can be any head ornament, usually of metal and showing rank, while a laurel wreath is of leaves and signals achievement.
Word family
Commonly confused: laurel wreath or wreathe?
laurel wreath vs wreathe
Wreathe is a verb pronounced with a voiced th (/riːð/), meaning to surround or encircle. The noun wreath ends in a voiceless sound.
Practice
In ancient Rome, a victorious general might be honored with a ___.
Choose one answer.
A laurel wreath was the classic Roman sign of victory. The other items are not the traditional symbol associated with that honor.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “laurel wreath”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.