Laudatives are words or grammatical forms that denote a positive affect. That is, they express praise or approval on the part of the speaker. Laudatory words in English include phrases such as "he's a saint" (for a helpful person), "this is ambrosia" (for a meal); there is also the concept of laudatory intonation, as in "What a house!" said with an air of wonder. ("What a ..." with different intonation can also express contempt.) This word derives from the Latin verb, laudare, meaning "to praise."