congratulate
UK[kənˈɡrætʃəleɪt]US[kənˈɡrætʃəleɪt]
v
To express pleasure to someone because of their success or good fortune.
Morpheme Breakdown
con
gratul
ate
con
with
gratul
ate
Etymology
The word 'congratulate' originates from the Latin verb 'congratulari', which is a compound of 'con-' (together, with) and 'gratulari' (to wish joy, to give thanks). 'Gratulari' itself is derived from 'gratus', meaning "pleasing, thankful". The core concept is of sharing in someone's joy and expressing goodwill collectively. Over time, the meaning evolved from the general act of rejoicing with someone to the specific modern action of expressing pleasure for another person's success or good luck.
Analysis
Structure: con + gratul + ate
- con- (Latin): A prefix meaning "with" or "together".
- gratul (Latin): A root from 'gratulari', meaning "to wish joy, to express thanks".
- ate (Latin): A verb-forming suffix.
Examples
I called to congratulate her on her promotion.
We congratulated the winners with a round of applause.
He was the first to congratulate me on my new job.