prodigious

[ pruh-dij-uhs ]

adjective

1. extraordinary in size, amount, extent, degree, force, etc.:

   a prodigious research grant.

   Synonyms: tremendous, gigantic, huge, immense, enormous

   Antonyms: tiny

2. wonderful or marvelous:

   a prodigious feat.

   Synonyms: stupendous, amazing, miraculous, wondrous, astounding

   Antonyms: ordinary

3. abnormal; monstrous.
4. Obsolete. ominous.

prodigious

/ prəˈdɪdʒəs /

adjective

1. vast in size, extent, power, etc
2. wonderful or amazing
3. obsolete.
   threatening

Derived Forms

• proˈdigiousness, noun
• proˈdigiously, adverb

Other Words From

• pro·digious·ly adverb
• pro·digious·ness noun
• unpro·digious adjective
• unpro·digious·ly adverb
• unpro·digious·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of prodigious¹

First recorded in 1545–55, prodigious is from the Latin word prōdigiōsus marvelous. See prodigy, -ous

Word History and Origins

Origin of prodigious¹

C16: from Latin prōdigiōsus marvellous, from prōdigium, see prodigy

Example Sentences

The former governor, who served from 2014 to 2018, has long been a prodigious Democratic fundraiser, but Youngkin’s personal wealth and willingness to spend his own money could make this year’s race the most expensive in Virginia history.

From Washington Post

Up to this point, Thiel was one of the few Americans who had managed to amass prodigious Roth accounts.

From ProPublica

In all other ways, she’s largely performing as she did last season, which is remarkable from a raw production rate, given that she once again shares the frontcourt with the prodigious talents of Liz Cambage.

From FiveThirtyEight

The biological sciences require both a grasp of critical organizing concepts and the mastery of prodigious amounts of specific details within each domain and sub-discipline.

From Nautilus

In the courtroom, he fascinated the public with his cool, pointed oratory and prodigious memory, as well as his relentlessness.

From Washington Post

No biography of Jack Nicholson could long skirt the issue of his prodigious appetites.

From The Daily Beast

Indeed, after going to his reward, he has been publishing at a prodigious pace.

From The Daily Beast

Couple with its prodigious online presence, it has become a global brand to be reckoned with.

From The Daily Beast

He knows better than anyone the law of carnage and its prodigious repetitions in our time.

From The Daily Beast

That would be quite a bombshell indeed—not to mention a prodigious technical feat.

From The Daily Beast

I asked whether he or the crew had seen any prodigious birds in the air about the time he first discovered me?

From Project Gutenberg

He was six feet ten inches in height, and his strength is represented to have been prodigious.

From Project Gutenberg

The gigantic pylon, its shoulders breaking the sky four-square far overhead, seemed the prodigious portal of another world.

From Project Gutenberg

He has evidently some prodigious secret, which he is determined to envelope in still deeper secrecy.

From Project Gutenberg

He fancied that he could see it, even at this distance, and another of his prodigious sighs issued from his lips.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• amazing
• astonishing
• astounding
• exceptional
• fantastic
• impressive
• marvelous
• miraculous
• phenomenal
• remarkable
• staggering