paragon

American  

[par-uh-gon, -guhn] / ˈpær əˌgɒn, -gən /

noun

• paragons
  plural

1. a model or pattern of excellence or of a particular excellence.

   a paragon of virtue.

   Synonyms:

   paradigm, exemplar, example, quintessence, epitome, standard, ideal

2. someone of exceptional merit.

   Just who is this paragon whose name is on everyone's lips?

   Synonyms:

   nonpareil, nonesuch

3. Printing. a 20-point type.

4. an unusually large, round pearl.

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verb (used with object)

1. Rare. to compare; parallel.

2. Archaic. to be a match for; rival.

3. Obsolete. to surpass.

4. Obsolete. to regard as a paragon.

paragon British  

/ ˈpærəɡən /

noun

1. a model of excellence; pattern

   a paragon of virtue

2. a size of printer's type, approximately equal to 20 point

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verb

1. archaic

   1. to equal or surpass

   2. to compare

   3. to regard as a paragon

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• paragonless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• paragons
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of paragon

First recorded in 1540–50; from Middle French paragon, parangon “model,” from Old Italian paragone “touchstone,” from paragonare “to compare, test on a touchstone,” from Greek parakonân “to sharpen, whet,” equivalent to para- “beside, alongside” + akonân “to sharpen, whet,” a derivative of akónē “whetstone, bone”

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Explanation

Paragon applies to someone who is a model of perfection in some quality or trait. We link paragon with other words that follow it, such as "paragon of virtue" or "paragon of patience." A paragon means someone or something that is the very best. The English noun paragon comes from the Italian word paragone, which is a touchstone, a black stone that is used to tell the quality of gold. You rub the gold on the touchstone and you can find out how good the gold is. You are hoping that it is the paragon of "goldness."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

paragon paragons

Marvell Technology’s custom chips and connectivity offerings have made it a major beneficiary of the data-center build-out — so much so that one analyst is touting the company as a paragon of “accelerating multiengine growth.”

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 11, 2026

According to his 1409 biography, Boucicaut was a paragon of knighthood and an athlete who followed a punishing physical training regime, capable of vaulting fully armed onto his horse’s back.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 11, 2026

It’s worth noting that Weiss herself does not appear to be a paragon of newsroom professionalism.

From Slate ● Oct. 6, 2025

When he eventually signed on for a superhero film, it was, fittingly, alongside Captain America, that upright paragon of virtue — and Redford played the villain.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2025

Owned by Gladys Phipps and her brother Ogden Mills, operators of the East’s legendary Wheatley Stable, Hard Tack was a copper-colored paragon of symmetry, grace, and blinding speed.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand

The Kushners, paragons of their community, were humiliated.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026

None are paragons of morality and very few care about more than their own bottom lines.

From Slate ● Aug. 7, 2024

And he pointed to Sweden and Finland, once paragons of pacifism and neutrality but now members of Nato.

From BBC ● Mar. 29, 2024

TLC may have given the Duggars a platform with "19 Kids and Counting" and its spinoff "Counting On," but viewers made the show a hit and its family paragons of good values.

From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2023

Why did he keep this, when all his other specimens were paragons of their species?

From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly

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Related Words

• apotheosis
• epitome
• exemplar

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