Homage

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈhÉ’mɨdÊ’/, /ˈɒmɨdÊ’/, /oʊˈmɑːʒ/

Origin

From Middle English homage, from Old French homage, hommage, from Medieval Latin hominaticum ("homage, the service of a vassal or 'man'"), from Latin homo.

Full definition of homage

Noun

1. (historical) In feudalism, the formal oath of a vassal to honor his or her lord's rights.
• 1593, William Shakespeare, Two Gentlemen of VeronaWe'll do thee homage, and be rul'd by thee,
  Love thee as our commander and our king.
2. A demonstration of respect, such as towards an individual after their retirement or death
• Alexander PopeI sought no homage from the race that write.
• 1792, Mary Wollstonecraft, A Vindication of the Rights of WomenWhen a man squeezes the hand of a pretty woman, ... she will consider such an impertinent freedom in the light of an insult, if she have any true delicacy, instead of being flattered by this unmeaning homage to beauty.
• 2006, New York TimesIt’s appropriate that we pay homage to them and the sacrifices they made.
3. An artistic work imitating another in a flattering style. Recently, the pronunciation /oʊˈmɒːʒ/ has been introduced from French for this usage; see hommage, which preserves the French spelling.
• 2002, Dawson's Creek (TV, episode 6.01)He likes to tell people that it's a Hitchcockian thriller, but that's kind of like saying Happy Gilmore is a homage to Woody Allen.

Usage notes

Often used in the construction pay homage to.

Because of the different pronunciations, homage is sometimes preceded by the article a and sometimes by an.

Synonyms

• manred

Derived terms

• homager

Verb

1. (obsolete) To pay reverence to by external action.
2. (obsolete) To cause to pay homage.

Anagrams

• ohmage