preeminent
Americanadjective
Usage
What does preeminent mean? Preeminent means extremely distinguished, outstanding, or superior to all (or the majority of) others. The word eminent means high in station, rank, or reputation. Someone who is considered eminent is usually both well-known and well-respected, especially within a particular field. Preeminent means extremely eminent—famed and respected above all or most. Eminent is often applied to scholars who are viewed as experts in their field, with preeminent being used to describe the most distinguished or respected ones—or perhaps one. The state of being preeminent is preeminence. Preeminent is sometimes spelled with a hyphen (pre-eminent), perhaps to make it easier to read. Example: He is the preeminent professor of this topic and his expertise is world-renowned.
Related Words
See dominant.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of preeminent
1400–50; late Middle English < Latin praeēminent- (stem of praeēminēns ), present participle of praeēminēre to project forward, be prominent. See pre-, eminent
Explanation
Calling someone preeminent means they're truly outstanding or better than everyone else — not in general, but in a specific field or specialty. Many people consider primatologist Jane Goodall to be the preeminent expert on chimpanzees. The adjective preeminent was first recorded in the mid-15th century and has its roots in the Latin praeeminentem, which means “to project forward, rise above.” And anything that's been described as preeminent certainly does rise above the rest. Preeminent scholars or universities or craftsmen are the best at what they do and are well known because of it.
Vocabulary lists containing preeminent
The Glass Castle
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Just Mercy
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Franklin D. Roosevelt's First Inaugural Address (March 4, 1933), List 1
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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.
He’s one of the country’s preeminent AI safety researchers, and a professor at the University of Louisville in Kentucky.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026
"American's Miami hub is the preeminent US gateway to Latin America, and our service to Venezuela is a key part of our history and our future," said the airline's chief commercial officer Nat Pieper.
From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026
Byron Wien, who passed away in 2023, was one of Wall Street’s preeminent strategists, in a career mostly at Morgan Stanley, known for his annual “10 surprises” report.
From MarketWatch • Dec. 5, 2025
Another pulsating contest between the preeminent pair on the men's tour - this time with the season-ending ATP Finals trophy at stake - was a fitting conclusion.
From BBC • Nov. 16, 2025
The power and influence of chieftaincy pervaded every aspect of our lives in Mqhekezweni and was the preeminent means through which one could achieve influence and status.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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.
