Ellen Goodman
Is kudo a word?: Usage Guide
Some commentators hold that since kudos is a singular word it cannot be used as a plural and that the word kudo is impossible. But kudo does exist; it is simply one of the most recent words created by back-formation from another word misunderstood as a plural. Kudos was introduced into English in the 19th century; it was used in contexts where a reader unfamiliar with Greek could not be sure whether it was singular or plural. By the 1920s it began to appear as a plural, and about 25 years later kudo began to appear. It may have begun as a misunderstanding, but then so did cherry and pea.
Synonyms
Examples of kudo in a Sentence
Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 May 2024
Medford gave kudos to the defense behind Guyer’s pitching.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for kudo 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'kudo.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Kudo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kudo. Accessed 1 Jun. 2024.
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