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The definition given above, taken from some kind of "Cambridge" organization, is very poor and ambiguous in nature; and completely without etymylogical foundation.

To rectify that, please attend to the following scholarly definitions and discourse:

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Strong's Concordance Number G3831
πανήγυρις
panēguris pan-ay'-goo-ris

Strong's Dictionary Definition:
From G3956^{πᾶς=all, every(one)} and a derivative of G58^{ἀγείρω=to gather; a mass meeting, that is, (figuratively) universal companionship: - general assembly.
Total KJV occurrences: 1
Thayer's Lexicon Definition 1) a festal gathering of the whole people to celebrate public games or other solemnities
2) a public festal assembly
Part of Speech: noun feminine
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This occasion that calls forth a speaker or a journalist to convey the solemnity of the event and perhaps the illustriousness of a person of whom the event is called is the "panegyrist"; a person known to address great crowds,

One example would be the first Memorial Day, a general assembly of myriads of people to honor those dying in the battle at Gettysburg, and by extension, all those who had passed from this life in the Civil War, the War of Rebellin, the War of Northern Aggression. The most well-known paneyrist of that event was Abraham Lincoln, whose Address there will never, ever be forgotten.

Other such events might be, say, our July 4th festal national holiday, fireworks and speeches aboubding; or "Veterans' Day" celebrationg the 11th minute of the 11th hour of the 11th day, of the 11th month of 1918 AD. when the Armistice ceasing the hostilities of the Great World-wide War was signed; or of Easter Day, when all Christendom pauses to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, Firstborn from the Dead--and that is the general assembly, paneguria, continuously celebrated in Heaven, and written of by the panegyrist, Paul the Apostle to the Gentiles and recorded in the Bible, book of Hebrews, twelfth chapter, verse twenty-three.

So, a "panegyrist" is not simply someone who says nice things about someone else; he/she would be someone skille in the arts, the rheoric, of addressing great crowds on a memorable occasion or perso, or both. The sense of it comes from the ancient Greek and Roman practices. Mark Anthony, whose address was captured by William Shakespeare, would be another such famed panegyrical speaker.

Marvin Vincent, in his Word Studies of the New Testament Greek says of this issue, writing of the context of Hebrews 12:21-24:

To the general assembly (πανηγύρει)

Const. with ἀγγέλων of angels, with comma after angels. Rend. “to a festal assembly of angels.” This and the next clause show what the myriads consist of, - a host of angels and redeemed men. Πανήγυρις, N.T.^o , is a gathering to celebrate a solemnity, as public games, etc.: a public, festal assembly. Frequently joined with ἑορτή feast. See Eze. 47:11; Hos. 2:11; Hos. 9:5. The verb πανηγυρίζειν to celebrate or attend a public festival, to keep holiday, occurs occasionally in ^the Class(ical Greek).: not in N.T.: lxx ^{(the Septuagint)} once, Isa. 66:10. The festal assembly of angels maintains the contrast between the old and the new dispensation. The host of angels through whose ministration the law was given (see on Heb. 2:2, and see on Gal. 3:19) officiated at a scene of terror. Christian believers are now introduced to a festal host, surrounding the exalted Son of man, who has purged away sins, and is enthroned at God's right hand (Heb. 1:3).

In the least populous sense, one might consider the person who is designated to give a eulogy (with the emphasis on the "eu" part) as the panegyrist at the funeral or memorial service that several people are gathered together to honor the deceased, with the funeral director as the Master of Ceremonies, a similar role being to recommend the eulogist.

So, now you should know what the word "panegyrist" means, and how and when to use it.

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