adjective
Other Word Forms
- excellently adverb
- superexcellent adjective
- superexcellently adverb
- unexcellent adjective
- unexcellently adverb
Etymology
Origin of excellent
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin excellent-, stem of excellēns, present participle of excellere excel
Explanation
Something excellent is very good, great, or high quality: this is one of the best compliments around. Words like extraordinary and exceptional are similar in meaning to excellent. This is a strong word used mainly for things, people, and actions that are much better than average. A B+ on a test isn't bad, but an A is excellent. In basketball, making an all-star team is excellent. Being excellent is difficult and people tend to admire it. People use excellent in another, less specific way sometimes. If you want to say "Cool" or "Good" you might say "Excellent!"
Vocabulary lists containing excellent
Thumbs Up: Synonyms for "Good"
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Beowulf vocabulary
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Commonly Misspelled Words, 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.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he is "in excellent physical condition" after the publication of his annual medical report revealed he had a malignant tumour removed.
From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026
“Fuze” does smack a bit of an excellent episode of TV.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026
"To address that, you need devices with extremely low currents, excellent stability, outstanding uniformity across switching cycles and devices, and the ability to switch between many distinct states."
From Science Daily • Apr. 23, 2026
Justice Thomas’s remarks were brilliant and he raised numerous excellent points.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026
“She is an excellent headmistress,” Penelope said in all seriousness, but for some reason the remark made her parents laugh.
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
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.
