eminent
Americanadjective
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high in station, rank, or repute; prominent; distinguished.
eminent statesmen.
- Synonyms:
- noted, illustrious, renowned, celebrated
-
conspicuous, signal, or noteworthy.
eminent fairness.
- Synonyms:
- outstanding, remarkable, noteworthy, notable
-
eminent peaks.
-
prominent; projecting; protruding.
an eminent nose.
adjective
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above others in rank, merit, or reputation; distinguished
an eminent scientist
-
(prenominal) noteworthy, conspicuous, or outstanding
eminent good sense
-
projecting or protruding; prominent
Usage
What does eminent mean? Eminent means high in station, rank, or reputation. Its noun form, eminence, refers to a position of superiority, high rank or status, or fame. Someone who is eminent is prominent or distinguished in some way, especially within a particular field. The word is often associated with scholars. Eminent is similar to prominent 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. The word preeminent means extremely eminent—eminent or outstanding above all others. The adverb eminently usually just means highly or very. It’s typically used to modify (describe) adjectives, as in She is eminently qualified. Example: He has achieved prominence in his field of study and is one of the most eminent scholars in the nation.
Related Words
See famous.
Other Word Forms
- eminently adverb
- noneminent adjective
- quasi-eminent adjective
- quasi-eminently adverb
- uneminent adjective
- uneminently adverb
Etymology
Origin of eminent
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin ēminent-, stem of ēminēns “outstanding, projecting,” present participle of ēminēre “to stand out, project,” from ē- e- 1 + min- “to put forward, stick out” + ēre, infinitive verb suffix
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.
Like its predecessors, “Triumph and Illusion” combines exhaustive scholarship with eminent readability.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 11, 2026
While it’s usually applied when the federal government exercises eminent domain and takes title to land, the takings clause also covers the government’s outright destruction of personal property.
From Slate • Feb. 4, 2026
In a public statement, Janet Yellen, Ben Bernanke and Alan Greenspan, and 10 other eminent former officials, rallied behind Powell.
From BBC • Jan. 12, 2026
The club was subjected to a complaint for condemnation, also known as eminent domain, which allows the city to take private property for public use, according to a report by The Times in 1958.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 22, 2025
To marshal further evidence, Galton began to reconstruct pedigrees of eminent men.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
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.
