Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1500-1600
Language: Latin
Origin: , past participle of congratulari 'to wish happiness', from com- ( COM-) + gratus 'pleasing'

congratulate

 verb
     
con‧grat‧u‧late [transitive]
1 to tell someone that you are happy because they have achieved something or because something nice has happened to them:
He never even stopped to congratulate me.
congratulate somebody on something
She congratulated me warmly on my exam results.
congratulate somebody for (doing) something
All three are to be congratulated for doing so well.
2

congratulate yourself (on something)

to feel pleased and proud of yourself because you have achieved something or something good has happened to you:
I congratulated myself on my good fortune.
—congratulatory adjective:
congratulatory messages
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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