celebrity
Americannoun
-
celebrities
plural
-
a famous or well-known person.
-
fame; renown.
- Synonyms:
- stardom, eminence, note, distinction
noun
-
a famous person
a show-business celebrity
-
fame or notoriety
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of celebrity
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin celebritās multitude, fame, festal celebration, equivalent to celebr- (stem of celeber ) often repeated, famous + -itās -ity
Explanation
A celebrity is a very famous person. If you single-handedly save an entire family from a burning building, you'll become a local celebrity. Celebrity comes directly from the Latin celebritatum, meaning famous, and is related to the verb celebrate which means to honor something with the proper ritual. We usually use celebrity now when we talk about entertainment stars, but someone doesn't have to be on the supermarket tabloids to be a celebrity. Celebrity can also be used to mean the state of fame. If you are seeking celebrity, develop a thick skin for nasty rumors.
Vocabulary lists containing celebrity
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Academy Awards, List 5
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The head of the Met also said that whilst Brand's case "may look different because it's about celebrity, the majority of sex offending is about people abusing power", adding that victims will be believed.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
“The property’s celebrity provenance and distinctive design details will naturally generate significant interest,” she says.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 5, 2026
The action in “Black Doves” will have an American wondering about the nature of English political celebrity, cellphone addiction and notions of privacy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026
In the comments of Stewart’s statement, some followers defended the celebrity homemaker and said outrage over the costume could be channeled into addressing homelessness.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2026
Gagarin dreamed of getting back in the game himself, but the Soviet government considered him too valuable as a celebrity to risk on space flight.
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
The company has collaborated with brands and celebrities like Hailey Bieber, Travis Scott and Sabrina Carpenter on the brightly colored, blended beverages.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
Of all the celebrities I’d bet on botching their Halloween getup, Martha Stewart would have been the longest shot.
From Salon ● Nov. 2, 2026
Falling head-over-heels for a home without actually stepping foot in it is a universal experience—and it impacts celebrities, too.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 2, 2026
And the revelry didn't stop there, with celebrities such as Maya Jama wowing attendees at her own Halloween party in London dressed as four-time Olympic champion Sir Mo Farah.
From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2026
“It isn’t Nigeria, but it’s close. I know celebrities can be flighty but she seems to be doing good work.”
From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
