celebrity
Americannoun
plural
celebrities-
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
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
And the Oscar Goes to... Award-worthy Words
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Academy Awards, List 5
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Lesson 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.
Michelle joined in 2022 but didn't have a celebrity partner last year.
From BBC • May 6, 2026
The five-minute ad drops celebrity athletes and entertainers into a neighborhood soccer match being played on a basketball court.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026
The brewery, several of whose beers play on celebrity names, launched John Lemon five years ago, because it seemed "cool", said Picard.
From Barron's • May 5, 2026
From celebrity stories to everyday discussions, drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy are often described as breakthroughs that can help people shed significant weight.
From Science Daily • May 5, 2026
The idea of celebrity first became prominent in the 1830s, with the advent of newspapers costing one or two cents.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
Definitions 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.
