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

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)

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

A plum gig at a Big Three network used to be the only way for a journalist to get the pay and prestige of a superstar.

From Slate • May 6, 2026

Sales in Coty’s prestige business, which includes brands such as Kylie Cosmetics and fragrances by Gucci and Marc Jacobs, were flat at $830.9 million.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026

This spring has felt a lot lighter than previous years in terms of big-name, prestige streaming shows, as studios’ budget cuts and industry consolidation take their toll.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 30, 2026

He has used his own prestige - and Trump's fascination with monarchy - to try to rebuild a sense of transatlantic trust.

From BBC • Apr. 28, 2026

There are all kinds of power—gang-type violent authority, sports-type physical prowess and social prestige, material wealth and economic dominance, power that comes from leadership, intellect, scholarship, knowledge.

From "How It Went Down" by Kekla Magoon

Related Words

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