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Synonyms

excellency

American  
[ek-suh-luhn-see] / ˈɛk sə lən si /

noun

plural

excellencies

  1. (usually initial capital letter) Also Excellence. a title of honor given to certain high officials, as governors, ambassadors, and Roman Catholic bishops and archbishops (preceded by his, your, etc.).

  2. (usually initial capital letter) a person so entitled.

  3. (usually initial capital letter) the title of the governor general of Canada while in office.

  4. Usually excellencies. excellent qualities or features.

Excellency British  
/ ˈɛksələnsɪ /

noun

  1. a title used to address or refer to a high-ranking official, such as an ambassador or governor

  2. RC Church a title of bishops and archbishops in many non-English-speaking countries

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • superexcellency noun

Etymology

Origin of excellency

1275–1325; Middle English excellencie < Latin excellentia. See excellent, -ency

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.

"It's just that for this moment we would want to continue the political stability. We want to continue the economic development that is taking place since his excellency took over in 2018," Chinamasa said.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

"It's just another example of our partnership. And I hope you know, your excellency, that you can count on us."

From Barron's • Oct. 11, 2025

“The document shows Brazil has fulfilled with excellency all the rigid demands of the bidding process,” Brazilian soccer confederation president Ednaldo Rodrigues said.

From Seattle Times • May 15, 2024

"It is clear we will not be able to agree with his excellency the president," Hariri told reporters after meeting.

From Reuters • Jul. 15, 2021

Your excellency may be right in your conclusion. 

From The Cambrian Sketch-Book Tales, Scenes, and Legends of Wild Wales by Davies, R. Rice

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.