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.
Synonym Usage
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.
The deal brings together “the most valuable live content portfolio in video consumption with the preeminent streaming platform,” Fox Chief Executive Lachlan Murdoch said Monday.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 15, 2026
“The Finals run supports the value of the team and company, marking it a preeminent sports franchise,” DiMatteo noted.
From MarketWatch • May 26, 2026
That’s because the Office of Legal Counsel is “the Executive Branch’s preeminent legal advisor,” wrote federal judge Florence Pan in 2025.
From Salon • Apr. 17, 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
This was the Rockefeller Foundation, which soon would supplant every other source as Ernest Lawrence’s preeminent philanthropic sponsor.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
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.
