excellence
Americannoun
-
the fact or state of excelling; superiority; eminence.
his excellence in mathematics.
- Synonyms:
- distinction, transcendence, preeminence
-
an excellent quality or feature.
Use of herbs is one of the excellences of French cuisine.
- Antonyms:
- inferiority
-
(usually initial capital letter) excellency.
noun
-
the state or quality of excelling or being exceptionally good; extreme merit; superiority
-
an action, characteristic, feature, etc, in which a person excels
Other Word Forms
- superexcellence noun
Etymology
Origin of excellence
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin excellentia; equivalent to excel + -ence
Explanation
Excellence means greatness — the very best. Achieving excellence is never easy to do. Excellence is a quality that people really appreciate, because it's so hard to find. Excellence is the quality of excelling, of being truly the best at something. Getting an A+ shows excellence. Michael Jordan's basketball career was filled with excellence. We love Picasso and Shakespeare for their excellence. When you see excellence, you should appreciate the work that went into it. So much in the world falls short of excellence.
Vocabulary lists containing excellence
Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -ance, -ence
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"CLEP Principles of Management," Vocabulary from Chapter 10
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"The MGMT Solution," Vocabulary from Chapter 16
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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.
“There is a very long history of excellence in optics and atomic physics in France, and so we are really tapping into this tradition,” Bokhari told Barron’s.
From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026
“Hilary’s experience spans industrial, infrastructure, and software businesses—sectors where capital intensity and execution excellence are critical to success,” Magouyrk said.
From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026
Moreno could feel that love too, with a renewed commitment to the excellence the Angels he displayed in his first decade as owner.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026
Goldstein also pledged to create an environment "that celebrates creativity, honors excellence, and delivers an unforgettable experience for movie fans everywhere".
From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026
The sons of Bull Meecham lived with the awareness that they would never match the excellence of their father in athletics.
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
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.
