adulation
Meaning
Excessive admiration or praise, especially when it is not sincere.
Structure
Usage
The retiring CEO was uncomfortable with the constant adulation from the board.
The dictator demanded not just loyalty but public adulation.
She viewed the celebrity's fan mail as genuine affection rather than mere adulation.
Etymology
The word 'adulation' originates from the Latin verb adulari, meaning 'to fawn upon' or 'flatter like a dog,' which itself may have roots in a lost Mediterranean language. This verb evolved into the Latin noun adulatio, signifying the act of fawning flattery. Entering English via Old French, the term retained its core sense of servile, excessive praise. The modern abstract meaning thus logically extends from the literal image of a dog wagging its tail to please its master to the figurative concept of insincere, exaggerated admiration.
Analysis
'adul' is from Latin adulari (to flatter, fawn upon). '-ation' is a Latin-derived noun-forming suffix indicating an action or process.