phenom
Americannoun
noun
Usage
What does phenom mean? A phenom is a person with an extraordinary talent or ability. The word is especially used to refer to a relatively young person who is considered a prodigy. Phenom is a shortened version of the word phenomenon, which can be used to mean the same thing. The word phenom is often preceded by the particular field that the phenom excels in or the skill that they have, as in chess phenom or basketball phenom. Example: All eyes are on the gymnastics phenom as she makes her first international appearance.
Etymology
Origin of phenom
By shortening
Explanation
An incredibly talented person can be called a phenom. You may dream of being recognized as a musical phenom during your ukulele performance at the school talent show. Young athletes with extraordinary skills are commonly described as phenoms, and it's no surprise that the term originated in baseball slang. It's a shortened form of phenomenon, "extraordinary occurrence," coined in the 1890s. A rookie pitcher who throws a no-hitter is a phenom, and so is someone like Greta Thunberg, who became a famous climate activist as a teenager. Use this word for people you find to be phenomenally inspiring!
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.
The Finals, though, brought the San Antonio Spurs and the NBA’s next great superstar: 7-foot-4 phenom Wembanyama.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 14, 2026
That’s what has allowed them to pile up points against Victor Wembanyama, the San Antonio Spurs’ 7-foot-4 phenom who, until the Finals, spent the playoffs torturing opposing offenses across the NBA.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026
Led by French phenom Victor Wembanyama, they’re more of a Cinderella story; they had little chance of winning the NBA title at the beginning of the year, according to the oddsmakers.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 3, 2026
“Marty Supreme” director Josh Safdie cast Catsimatidis as Christopher Galanis, a financial backer of the table tennis phenom played by Timothée Chalamet in the film.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026
Playing without suspended phenom Josh Bell didn’t seem to faze Coach Hawkins’ undefeated ’Cats.
From "The Crossover" by Kwame Alexander
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.
