Basic Details
Word: Eulogy
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: A speech or piece of writing that praises someone, often given at a funeral to remember a person who has died.
Synonyms: tribute, praise
Antonyms: criticism
Word origin: Comes from Greek eulogia, 'praise', from eu 'well' and logos 'word'.
How to Spell Eulogy
Syllables: eu - lo - gy
Tricky part: It begins with eu, which sounds like you, and ends in gy. Students write it the way they hear it: ulogy or yulogy.
Watch out for: ulogy, yulogy, eulogie, eulagy
Memory tip: Eu means good and logy means words, so a eulogy is good words about someone. You hear you, but you write e-u.
Usage Examples
Example 1: At the memorial meeting, her grandson gave a short eulogy about her love of gardening.
Example 2: The newspaper printed a eulogy for the famous singer the day after he passed away.
Example 3: Writing a eulogy is hard, because you want every line to be true and kind.
Fun Fact
A eulogy need not be for someone who has died: a speech or article praising a living person, or even a city, can also be called a eulogy.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell Spies
Choose the incorrectly spelt word:
a) ulogy
b) analogy
c) apology
d) biology
Show answer
a) ulogy. The you sound at the start of eulogy is written with the two letters eu.
Word Puzzle
Match the words with their meanings:
1. eulogy 2. elegy 3. epilogue a. a sad poem written for someone who has died b. a short part added at the end of a book or play c. a speech that praises someone
a) 1-c, 2-b, 3-a
b) 1-b, 2-a, 3-c
c) 1-c, 2-a, 3-b
d) 1-a, 2-c, 3-b
Show answer
c) 1-c, 2-a, 3-b. A eulogy praises, an elegy mourns in verse and an epilogue closes a story.
Word Tally
How many words are misspelt in the sentence?
At the farewell for our retiring headmistress, the senior students read a eulogy that praised her patience, kindness and dedicasion.
a) 1
b) 2
c) 0
d) 3
Show answer
a) 1. Only dedication is wrong, because it ends in tion; every other word is spelt correctly.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. At which event are you most likely to hear a eulogy?
a) a cricket match
b) a memorial service
c) a science exhibition
d) a cooking class
Show answer
b) a memorial service
2. Which word is the opposite in feeling to a eulogy?
a) honour
b) tribute
c) criticism
d) praise
Show answer
c) criticism
