prestigious
Americanadjective
-
indicative of or conferring prestige.
the most prestigious address in town.
- Synonyms:
- distinguished
-
having a high reputation; honored; esteemed.
a prestigious author.
- Synonyms:
- notable, illustrious
adjective
-
having status or glamour; impressive or influential
-
rare characterized by or using deceit, cunning, or illusion; fraudulent
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of prestigious
First recorded in 1540–50; from Latin praestigiōsus “full of tricks, deceitful,” from praestigi(ae) “juggler's tricks” ( see prestige) + -ōsus -ous
Explanation
Eagle Scout is a prestigious position within the Boy Scouts. It requires a lot of hard work over a number of years, and if you become one, lots of people will respect you. The adjective prestigious has a really wonderful Latin root, praestigiae, which means "conjuring tricks." Think of the magic word, "Presto!" Even though today's prestigious doesn't necessarily mean that the person described can do magic, imagining prestigious people as magicians can help you remember the admiration and status that the word implies.
Vocabulary lists containing prestigious
The Hunger Games
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This Week in Words: October 22 - 27, 2017
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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.
In the audience was the "Medaaye" playwright Femi Osofisan, the first African to receive the prestigious Thalia Prize, in 2016.
From Barron's • Jun. 26, 2026
Last month, Wynn-Williams sat silently on a stage at the Hay Festival, a prestigious literary and arts festival, as part of a panel on digital technology and public policy.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 25, 2026
Despite his prestigious position on one of HBO’s top shows, Brivik was giddy for the chance to perform at Largo.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 16, 2026
It served as a reminder of what global football's most prestigious tournament is up against in the USA as the country's national team prepares to kick off against Paraguay.
From BBC • Jun. 12, 2026
Most Allen graduates went on to higher education, some to prestigious northern schools like Vassar and Smith.
From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly
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.
