Eulogy - eulogia

Do not confuse the nouns eulogy and eulogia.

Although the two words are descendants of the same Greek word, εὐλογία (eulogia), a compound of εὖ (eu, well) and λόγος (logos, speech), they are not synonyms. Their Greek ancestor, εὐλογία (eulogia), was used in at least two broadly different ways: it could mean either (a speech of) praise or, especially in the Septuagint and the Greek New Testament, an act of blessing (or the object blessed). In English eulogy inherited the first of these uses and eulogia the second. Although the use of eulogia to mean ‘blessing’ is no longer generally current, the word survives, with a special meaning, in the Eastern Christian Church, where it is used to refer to the bread which is blessed as part of the Eucharistic service and distributed to members of the congregation after the service, especially to those who have not taken communion.

Note on pronunciation: With eulogy the stress is on the first syllable and the second syllable is short, IPA: /'juː lə dʒɪ/, whereas with eulogia, the stress is on the second syllable, which has the long ‘o’ of ‘low’ or ‘so’, IPA: /juː 'ləʊ dʒɪə/.

See also Eulogy - encomium - panegyric - paean.