applause
UK[əˈplɔːz]US[əˈplɔːz]
n
the noise made by a group of people clapping their hands repeatedly to show enjoyment or approval of something such as a performance or speech.
Etymology
the word 'applause' entered english in the early 15th century from latin applausus, the past participle of applaudere, meaning 'to strike upon, to clap'. this latin verb is itself a compound of ad- ('to, at') and plaudere ('to strike, clap, beat'). the core notion of striking hands together to create sound evolved from a physical action into a metaphorical expression of approval. the semantic journey moved from the literal act of clapping to the abstract collective sound signifying praise and acclamation, which is its sole modern meaning.
Analysis
the word is a simplex loanword from latin. it is not productively segmented into meaningful substrings in modern english spelling.
Examples
the performer took a bow as thunderous applause filled the concert hall.
his insightful comments were met with warm applause from the audience.
she waited for the applause to die down before she began her speech.