a lofty oration or writing in praise of a person or thing; eulogy.
2.
formal or elaborate praise.
Origin: 1590–1600; < L, n. use of panēgyricus of, belonging to a public assembly < Gk panēgyrikós, equiv. to pangyr(is) solemn assembly (pan-pan-+ -ēgyris, comb. form of ágyris gathering; cf. category) + -ikos-ic
A formal eulogistic composition intended as a public compliment.
Elaborate praise or laudation; an encomium.
[Latin panēgyricus, from Greek panēgurikos (logos), (speech) at a public assembly, panegyric, from panēguris, public assembly : pan-, pan- + aguris, assembly, marketplace; see ger- in Indo-European roots.] pan'e·gyr'i·cal adj., pan'e·gyr'i·cal·ly adv.
1603, "eulogy, laudation," from Fr. panégyrique (1512), from L. panegyricus "public eulogy," originally an adj., from Gk. panegyrikos (logos) "(a speech) given in a public assembly," from panegyris "public assembly in honor of a god," from pan- "all" (q.v.) + agyris "place of assembly," Aeolic form of agora (q.v.).