the.com/accolade
Originally a sword tap on the shoulder; now just a LinkedIn flex.
means An award or expression of praise given in recognition of achievement.
from Traces back to French 'accolade,' rooted in Latin 'ad' (to) plus 'collum' (neck) — the word originally described an embrace around the neck, the ceremonial gesture used when conferring knighthood. The neck-embrace eventually gave way in popular imagination to the sword-tap version, but the core idea stuck: a physical gesture of honor that slowly flattened into the praise itself, no ceremony required.
- origin
- from Latin for neck, via knighting ceremony
- old meaning
- an embrace, not just praise
- modern use
- often awarded by the giver's own press release