prestige

American  

[pre-steezh, -steej] / prɛˈstiʒ, -ˈstidʒ /

noun

1. 

   reputation or influence arising from success, achievement, rank, or other favorable attributes.

   Synonyms:

   importance, weight

   Antonyms:

   disrepute

2. distinction or reputation attaching to a person or thing and thus possessing a cachet for others or for the public.

   The new discothèque has great prestige with the jet set.

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adjective

1. having or showing success, rank, wealth, etc.

prestige British  

/ prɛˈstiːʒ /

noun

1. high status or reputation achieved through success, influence, wealth, etc; renown

2. 1. the power to influence or impress; glamour

   2. ( modifier )

      a prestige car

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Other Word Forms

• prestigeful
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of prestige

First recorded in 1650–60, for an earlier sense; from French (originally plural): “deceits, delusions, juggler's tricks,” from Latin praestīgiae “juggler's tricks,” variant of praestrīgiae, derivative of praestringere “to blind, blunt,” literally, “to bind hard, tie up,” from prae- pre- + stringere “to draw tight” ( see stringent)

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Explanation

People, cars, schools, clubs, banks––all can be said to have prestige. Star in a blockbuster movie? Your prestige level just shot up. Make a really bad faux pas? Your prestige just went down. When something has prestige it is said to be prestigious. Often this is applied to colleges –– "After earning straight As and lettering in three Varsity sports, Vivian had her choice among prestigious universities." To remember this word, think about pres- — people or things with prestige often are covered by the press.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

prestige

But that prestige is now giving way to the downsides of having a corporate founder like Huang at the helm for too long.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 12, 2026

Even worse, that anxiety was associated with lower occupational prestige and ultimately lower income three years later.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026

In the view of Hollywood Park, Inglewood welcomed the jobs, tax revenue, increased property values and heightened prestige for a decade, then walked away from the deal when the bills came due.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026

The rise of prestige television and streaming shook up the established hierarchy.

From Salon ● Oct. 18, 2026

He talked much about pride of country and love of the parentland, but little about shifgrethor, personal pride or prestige.

From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin

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Related Words

• cachet
• dignity
• esteem
• importance
• power
• prominence
• reputation
• standing
• stature
• status
• weight

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