Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
1872, originally at Harvard, from Medieval Latin, literally "with praise," from Latin cum "with" + laude, ablative of laus (genitive laudis) "praise" (see laud). Probably from earlier use (in Latin) at Heidelberg and other German universities.
WordNet
adj. with honor; with academic distinction; "a cum laude graduate"
adv. with honor; "he graduated cum laude"
Usage examples of "cum laude".
Even before Lucius Rexford was elected, Chancellor Hector put an end to the Cum Laude Project and demoted Eblis Eierkopf to some job where he can't do any harm.
I realized that this had to be the guy who had made summa cum laude at Oxbridge, and who was my boss.
Graduated cum laude, American University, where she'd double-majored in criminal justice and electronics.
Even when he was about to graduate magna cum laude, some of his classmates, usually the cheerleaders, thought he was a townie.
Dr Parker had graduated from the University of Illinois, cum laude, from Northwestern Medical School and from the American College of Psychiatrists.
After graduating from college cum laude in less than three years, he joined the Navy where he passed the rigorous Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL selection program, also known as BUD/S, and was made a SEAL.
Dux bonus, et certare sinit cum laude suorum, Nec pago implicitos per debita culmina mundi Ire viros prohibet.
Returned from the brink, I was able to clear my summa cum laude head and begin work on the project that ultimately made me famous.
Littell (the Chicago Phantom who has worked for us sub-rosa since early 1959) is a 1940 Bumma Cum Laude Notre Dame Law grad, Federal-Bar licensed.