A
standing ovation is a form of
applause where members of a seated
audience stand up while applauding after extraordinary performances of particularly high acclaim. In
Ancient Rome returning military commanders (such as
Marcus Licinius Crassus after his defeat of
Spartacus) whose victories did not quite meet the requirements of a
triumph but which were still praiseworthy were celebrated with an
ovation instead, from the
Latin ovo, "I rejoice". The word's use in English to refer to sustained applause dates from at least 1831.