kudos

"The letters people wrote to the editor always said 'kudos'," Jason remembered. "Like, 'Kudos on the fine artwork and story in your wonderful comic.'"

"Kudos?"

"Yeah, like 'congratulations'. It must be a Canadian thing."

For years afterward, whenever I used the word 'kudos' I always explained that it was of Canadian origin, and when I talked to someone from Canada I made sure to use that word in place of 'congratulations' so as to make them feel comfortable.

The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition states that although the word "kudos" looks like plural, it's really not. Since kudos has been used as a plural so often in common usage over the last few years casually and in the press, a new singular usage has been accepted as proper. The singular form still isn't very often used as a descriptor, with most people preferring the original "plural." In fact, based on similar word derivations, the pronounciation should leave the last 's' sound unspoken anyway, as in "pathos."

Other examples of words that have suffered this fate include congeries, pea and cherry. The last two, interesting enough, were shortened from the old English "pease" and the French "cerise."

Ku"dos (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. ky^dos glory.]

Glory; fame; renown; praise.

W. H. Russel.

© Webster 1913.

Ku"dos, v. t.

To praise; to extol; to glorify.

Southey.

© Webster 1913.