award
UK[əˈwɔːd]US[əˈwɔːrd]
v
To give something, such as a prize or payment, to someone as a result of an official decision.
n
A prize or other mark of recognition given in honor of an achievement.
Etymology
The word 'award' has a journey that reflects legal and judicial history. It originates from the Anglo-Norman French 'awarder', meaning 'to decide after careful observation'. This term itself is built from the prefix 'es-' (a variant of 'ex-', meaning 'out') and 'guarder' (from Germanic 'wardōn', meaning 'to watch, guard'). The core concept was a judge or arbiter "watching closely" to make a considered decision. Over time in Middle English, this legal sense of a judicial decision or decree broadened to encompass the modern meaning of granting a prize or payment based on a formal judgment of merit.
Analysis
The word is a simplex form. It entered English as a whole from Anglo-Norman French, where its form was 'awarder' or 'eswarder'. Its ultimate origin is from a Germanic source, related to Old Northern French 'esguarder' meaning 'to look at, consider'.
Examples
The jury will award damages to the plaintiff.
She received an award for her scientific research.
The contract awards the construction project to the lowest bidder.