Order of Leopold (Belgium) Belgium's highest national order of knighthood, founded in 1832, with civilian, military and maritime divisions and five classes, awarded for bravery or exceptional service.
Order of Merit A selective honour established in 1902 that recognises exceptional achievement in the armed forces, science, the arts, literature and the promotion of culture; appointments are a p…
Order of Prince Henry (Ordem do Infante Dom Henrique) Order of Prince Henry Portuguese national order established in 1960 to honor services that expand Portugal's culture, history and international presence. Awarded to citizens and foreigners across severa…
Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George Order of St Michael and St George A British order of chivalry founded in 1818, awarded for service overseas and in relation to foreign affairs; it has three classes and a distinctive motto and insignia.
Order of the Aztec Eagle: Mexico's Highest Honor for Foreign Nationals Order of the Aztec Eagle Overview of the Order of the Aztec Eagle, Mexico's highest honor for non-citizens, established in 1933 to recognize diplomatic, cultural, scientific and humanitarian contributions…
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath Order of the Bath A British order of chivalry founded in 1725 with medieval origins; it has military and civil divisions and three classes of membership, known for its distinctive motto and ceremoni…
Order of the British Empire A British order of chivalry established in 1917 that recognises contributions to public life, arts, sciences, charity and wartime service, with civil and military divisions and sev…
Order of the Companions of Honour A British order established in 1917 to recognise remarkable contributions to arts, science, public life and other fields across the Commonwealth; limited membership and distinctive…
Order of the Federal Republic (Nigeria) Order of the Federal Republic A national honour instituted in 1964, the Order of the Federal Republic recognises distinguished service to Nigeria. It is one of two principal orders in the Nigerian honours syste…
Most Noble Order of the Garter Order of the Garter The Most Noble Order of the Garter is the United Kingdom's oldest and highest order of chivalry, founded in the 14th century. It honours distinguished service and retains historic…
Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire Order of the Indian Empire A British order of chivalry established in 1878 by Queen Victoria to recognise service in India; appointments ceased after 1947 and the order is now dormant.
Order of the Rising Sun A Japanese national decoration established in 1875 by Emperor Meiji, awarded for distinguished service in international relations, culture, public welfare, and other fields; admini…
The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India Order of the Star of India A British order of chivalry established in 1861 for service in India; its classes, insignia, history, and later dormancy after Indian independence.
Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle Order of the Thistle A Scottish order of chivalry centred on the thistle and Saint Andrew; royal, ceremonial, and symbolic, with a sovereign and a limited number of knights and ladies chosen for servic…
Order of the White Eagle (Poland) Poland’s highest state decoration, created in 1705. Awarded to civilians, military and foreign dignitaries for outstanding service; recognizable by its white-eagle insignia, sash a…
Padma Bhushan: India's Third-Highest Civilian Honour Padma Bhushan Padma Bhushan is India’s third-highest civilian award, instituted in 1954 to recognise distinguished service across a wide range of fields. It is announced on Republic Day and conf…
Padma Shri: India’s Fourth Highest Civilian Honour Padma Shri Padma Shri is the fourth highest civilian award of India, presented for distinguished service in diverse fields such as arts, education, literature, industry, medicine, sports and…
Padma Vibhushan Padma Vibhushan is India’s second-highest civilian honour, instituted in 1954 and awarded for exceptional service in any field; announced on Republic Day and conferred by the Presi…
Peabody Award A prestigious award recognizing excellence and public service in broadcasting and digital storytelling across radio, television, podcasting and online media.
PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Literary Award PEN Oakland awards An annual American literary prize recognizing multicultural writers, established by PEN Oakland to spotlight diverse voices often overlooked by mainstream awards.
People's Choice Awards — history, format, and cultural significance People's Choice Awards Annual American awards show honoring popular culture, chosen by public vote since 1975. Overview of origins, categories, voting, notable winners, production and cultural impact.
Philip K. Dick Award Annual American prize recognizing the best original science fiction paperback first published in the United States, named for author Philip K. Dick and presented at Norwescon since…
Pierre de Coubertin Medal An honorary award from the International Olympic Committee recognizing exceptional sportsmanship and actions that embody the Olympic ideals.
Polaris Music Prize Annual Canadian music award honoring the best full-length album on artistic merit alone. Established in 2006, it uses juried selection and a gala presentation to spotlight Canadian…
Post-nominal letters Abbreviated letters placed after a person's name to indicate honours, offices, academic degrees, professional memberships or awards, especially common in the UK and Commonwealth.
Posthumous award An honor or prize conferred after the recipient's death. Covers forms, common fields (arts, military, sports), procedures, historical context, examples and legal or ethical issues.
Posthumous name (honorary title given after death) Posthumous name An honorary name assigned after death, used chiefly in East Asian traditions to evaluate a person's life for historical records, ancestor rites, and official memory.
Pour le Mérite (the "Blue Max") Pour le Mérite A prestigious Prussian order established in the 18th century, best known as a World War I military award and later as a civil order for arts and sciences.
Premio Lo Nuestro — annual awards celebrating Latin music Premio Lo Nuestro Premio Lo Nuestro is an annual Latin music awards show produced by Univision since 1989, honoring artists across genres with competitive categories and special lifetime recognition…
Presidential Medal of Freedom A leading civilian honor of the United States awarded by the President for especially meritorious contributions to security, world peace, culture, or other significant public or pr…
Presidents' Trophy (National Hockey League award) Presidents' Trophy NHL award presented to the team with the most regular-season points; tied teams are decided by most wins. Instituted in 1985, it confers a cash bonus and playoff advantages but not…
Prince of Wales Trophy A National Hockey League trophy awarded to the Eastern Conference playoff champions, with a long history of serving different championship and regular-season roles since its introd…
Pritzker Architecture Prize Annual international award honoring a living architect for significant lifetime achievement; funded by the Pritzker family and administered by the Hyatt Foundation.
Prix Benois de la Danse Annual international ballet award established in Moscow in 1991. Jury-selected prizes honor dancers, choreographers, composers, designers and lifetime achievement in classical and…
Prix Constantin Annual French music award established in 2002 to promote emerging artists. Named for Philippe Constantin, it recognizes the best album by a recent breakthrough artist and aims to b…
Prix de Rome: French state scholarship for the arts Prix de Rome Historic French art scholarship (Prix de Rome) awarded from 1663 to 1968 to promising painters, sculptors, architects, engravers and composers for study in Rome and classical train…
Prize: concept, types, history and impact Prize A prize is a formal recognition—often with monetary, symbolic, or reputational value—awarded for achievement, competition, service, creativity, or discovery.
Pulitzer Prize A U.S. award recognizing excellence in journalism, letters, drama, and music, administered by Columbia University and founded from Joseph Pulitzer's bequest.
Pulitzer Prize for Drama Annual American award recognizing a distinguished play by an American author, first awarded in 1918; honors dramatic writing that captures aspects of American life.
Pulitzer Prize for Fiction A major American literary award presented annually for distinguished fiction by an American author, often recognizing works concerned with American life and culture.
Q Awards Annual British music awards established by Q magazine in 1990, known for celebrating popular and influential acts, live performances, and occasional high-profile controversies.
Rafto Prize An annual human rights award established in memory of Thorolf Rafto, presented in Bergen to individuals or organisations for courageous human-rights work, with an accompanying cash…
Rawlings Gold Glove Award Annual Major League Baseball award by Rawlings honoring the best defensive players at each position in the American and National Leagues.
Reward (incentive and reinforcement) Reward An overview of rewards as incentives and reinforcement: definitions, types, psychological and biological aspects, practical uses in law enforcement, business, education, animal tra…
Rhodes Scholarship International postgraduate scholarship established by Cecil Rhodes to fund study at the University of Oxford; prestigious award emphasizing academic excellence, leadership, and pub…
Rhysling Award: Prize for Speculative Poetry Rhysling Award Annual awards for the best speculative poems in science fiction, fantasy, and horror, administered by the Science Fiction Poetry Association with short and long categories and an a…
RIAA certification: U.S. sales and streaming awards for recorded music RIAA certification Overview of RIAA certification in the United States, including levels (Gold, Platinum, Diamond), how units are counted, historical changes, submission process, and limitations.
Right Livelihood Award (the 'Alternative Nobel Prize') Right Livelihood Award International prize founded in 1980 that honors practical, exemplary solutions to urgent global problems in fields such as environment, human rights, development, health, education…
