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eminence
[ em-uh-nuhns ]
noun
- high station, rank, or repute:
philosophers of eminence.
Synonyms: conspicuousness, fame, note
Antonyms: obscurity
- a high place or part; a hill or elevation; height.
Synonyms: prominence
- (initial capital letter) Roman Catholic Church. a title of honor, applied to cardinals (usually preceded by His or Your ).
- Anatomy. an elevation or projection, especially on a bone.
Eminence
1/ ˈɛmɪnəns /
noun
- preceded byYour or His a title used to address or refer to a cardinal
eminence
2/ ˈɛmɪnəns /
noun
- a position of superiority, distinction, high rank, or fame
- a high or raised piece of ground
- anatomy a projection of an organ or part
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Word History and Origins
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Word History and Origins
Origin of eminence1
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Example Sentences
Now given his eminence in ancient times, it doesn’t come as a surprise that the Roman identified him with one of their own syncretic Greco-Roman deities – Apollo, the archetype of the youthful god of light.
In other words, Svarog could have been venerated as a creator deity, whose eminence was probably reduced with the passage of time.
Perhaps Saturday’s weather might not have achieved equal eminence, but it did score high for mildness and for overcast.
He opens his treatise, Nicomachean Ethics, by reviewing the various contenders for the good life — pleasure, honor, wealth, health or eminence — eventually arriving at “eudaimonia,” essentially human flourishing.
He sounded like neither the directorial eminence revered for his chronicles of gangsters, rockers and New York after dark, nor like good ol’ Marty, universally beloved champion of film preservation and benefactor to auteurs the world over.
“He was very bitter,” says longtime Granite State Republican eminence and former state attorney general Tom Rath.
The eminence was asked, the next morning, “Well, you've met the young Yeats— what did you think of him?”
Or, in the case of Bob Dole, they retired to a sort of a bipartisan eminence and were mostly forgotten.
Tayoun served almost three years, but remained an eminence on the Philadelphia political scene.
“Mr. de la Renta is far more a hot dog than an eminence grise of American fashion” Horyn wrote in her review.
All parties have borne testimony to the value of his services, and the eminence of his talents.
He who has attained it grows giddy, and the fiercest winds are summoned to blow him from his eminence.
He was the son of a miller, and raised himself to eminence by his great talent and genius as a painter.
There was another theory promulgated many years back by certain people of some degree of eminence in their own walk in life.
We did not perceive the little town until we had surmounted the last eminence and were in its immediate vicinity.
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More About Eminence
What does eminence mean?
Eminence is a position of superiority, high rank or status, or fame.
In other words, eminence is the state of being eminent—high in station, rank, or reputation. Someone who is eminent is prominent or distinguished in some way, especially within a particular field. The word is often associated with scholars.
Eminence is similar to prominence but is perhaps even more positive. Someone who is prominent is well-known and often important. Someone who is considered eminent is often both well-known and well-respected. Still, the words are often used in overlapping ways.
Eminence is used in a more specific way as a title or a way of addressing a high-ranking official within a hierarchy. In the Catholic Church, it’s used to address a cardinal. When used this way, it is usually capitalized and used with a pronoun, as in Your Eminence.
A less common variant of eminence is eminency.
Example: He has achieved eminence in his field of study and is one of the most highly regarded academics in the nation.
Where does eminence come from?
The first records of the word eminence come from around 1400. It comes from the Latin ēminentia, from the verb ēminēre, meaning “to stand out.” The suffix -ence is used in nouns to indicate a state or condition and corresponds to the suffix -ent in adjectives (such as eminent).
People who have achieved eminence stand out in their field. There are also a few less common meanings of eminence that involve standing out in more literal ways. Eminence can refer to a place of high elevation, such as a hill. In anatomy, an eminence is a projection of a body part, especially a bone—often meaning a part where it sticks out or stands out.
Eminence should not be confused with imminence, which is the state of being imminent—likely to occur at any time.
Did you know ... ?
What are some other forms related to eminence?
What are some synonyms for eminence?
What are some words that share a root or word element with eminence?
What are some words that often get used in discussing eminence?
What are some words eminence may be commonly confused with?
How is eminence used in real life?
Eminence is typically used in positive contexts involving someone who has earned a high status, rank, or level of respect.
🎉 HUGE congratulations 👏 to Professor @jonathanjevans, who tonight received the @BPSOfficial's prestigious M.B. Shapiro Award, which is bestowed on a clinical psychologist who has achieved eminence in their profession. So very well deserved. Well done, professor! #TeamUofG 💘 pic.twitter.com/zErzcgl75u
— UofG MVLS (@UofGMVLS) January 22, 2020
"A novel that appeals equally to the intellect and the emotions, “To Die but Once” advances Maisie’s engaging story and reaffirms Winspear’s eminence in her field." @RTDNEWS on the new #MaisieDobbs historical mystery by Jacqueline Winspear – out now! https://t.co/cD7iqVQZrX
— Harper Books (@harperbooks) April 9, 2018
I am not sure if His Eminence Cardinal Sarah will ever be Pope. I would like for him to be so, but I can't be sure.
What I am sure of, though, is that some day Cardinal Sarah will be a saint.
— C.A. Shoultz (@HarrierMagnus) October 16, 2020
Try using eminence!
Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of eminence?
A. prominence
B. prestige
C. obscurity
D. fame
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