prize

[ prahyz ]

/ praɪz /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR prize ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a reward for victory or superiority, as in a contest or competition.

something that is won in a lottery or the like.

anything striven for, worth striving for, or much valued.

something seized or captured, especially an enemy's ship and cargo captured at sea in wartime.

the act of taking or capturing, especially a ship at sea.

Archaic. a contest or match.

adjective

having won a prize: a prize bull; a prize play.

worthy of a prize.

given or awarded as a prize.

Nearby words

privy purse, privy seal, prix, prix fixe, prix goncourt, prize, prize court, prize fighting, prize flag, prize money, prize ring

Origin of prize

1250–1300; in senses referring to something seized, continuing Middle English prise something captured, a seizing < Middle French < Latin pre(hē)nsa, noun use of feminine past participle of pre(he)ndere to take; in senses referring to something won, spelling variant of price (Middle English pris(e)) since the late 16th century

SYNONYMS FOR prize

1 premium.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR prize ON THESAURUS.COM

Synonym study

1. See reward.

Definition for prize (2 of 3)

prize

[ prahyz ]

/ praɪz /

verb (used with object), prized, priz·ing.

to value or esteem highly.

to estimate the worth or value of.

Origin of prize

1325–75; Middle English prisen < Middle French prisier, variant of preisier to praise

Synonym study

1. See appreciate.

Definition for prize (3 of 3)

prize

or prise

[ prahyz ]

/ praɪz /

verb (used with object), prized, priz·ing.

pry².

noun

leverage.

a lever.

Origin of prize

1350–1400; Middle English prise < Middle French: a hold, grasp < Latin pre(hē)nsa. See prize¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for prize

So I remember when Altman won the prize, he went up and said some version of, “Too little, too late.”
Coffee Talk with Ethan Hawke: On ‘Boyhood,’ Jennifer Lawrence, and Bill Clinton’s Urinal Exchange|Marlow Stern|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The prize will not be replaced if lost, mutilated, or stolen.
The Daily Beast Company LLC The New Alphas Sweepstakes Official Rules||December 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
While the winners will take home the prize money and title, the eliminated contestants can hardly be considered losers.
Inside ‘The Sex Factor’: Where 16 Men and Women Vie For Porn Immortality|Aurora Snow|November 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And The Prize Is Death, a cartoon by Albert Levering, attacks an epidemic of reckless driving.
The Magazine That Made—and Unmade—Politicians|Anthony Haden-Guest|November 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Every other year Adam Shankman was doing a Step Up movie and we could give them a role in that as a prize.
Nigel Lythgoe on How to Save Reality TV, ‘On the Town,’ and ‘Brokeback Ballroom’|Kevin Fallon|October 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Our job is to get the Doctor down here to look at that prize specimen before it moves off to the Deep Hole.
The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle|Hugh Lofting
This Prize, which is kept up by the interest accruing every three years, has been awarded at Cambridge regularly since 1845.
Toronto of Old|Henry Scadding
It was as though she were the prize for which a battle was being foughta battle, one against ten!
The Sunset Trail|Alfred Henry Lewis
The Royal Academy of Berlin, offered in 1818, a prize of 3300 francs, for an essay on this topic.
North American Medical and Surgical Journal, Vol. 2, No. 3, July, 1826|Various
The prize of victory, in this case, it says, must rest with the strong.
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Vol. 2, No. 8, January, 1851|Various

British Dictionary definitions for prize (1 of 3)

prize

/ (praɪz) /

noun

a reward or honour for victory or for having won a contest, competition, etc
(as modifier)prize jockey; prize essay

something given to the winner of any game of chance, lottery, etc

something striven for

any valuable property captured in time of war, esp a vessel

Word Origin for prize

C14: from Old French prise a capture, from Latin prehendere to seize; influenced also by Middle English prise reward; see price

British Dictionary definitions for prize (2 of 3)

prize

/ (praɪz) /

verb

(tr) to esteem greatly; value highly

Word Origin for prize

C15 prise, from Old French preisier to praise

British Dictionary definitions for prize (3 of 3)

prize

/ (praɪz) /

verb, noun

a variant spelling of prise

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for prize (1 of 3)

prize

n.1

"reward," prise (c.1300 in this sense), from Old French pris "price, value, worth; reward" (see price (n.)). As an adjective, "worthy of a prize," from 1803. The spelling with -z- is from late 16c. Prize-fighter is from 1703; prize-fight from 1730 (prize-fighter from 1785).

Word Origin and History for prize (1 of 3)

prize

n.2

"something taken by force," mid-13c., prise "a taking, holding," from Old French prise "a taking, seizing, holding," noun use of fem. past participle of prendre "to take, seize," from Latin prendere, contraction of prehendere "lay hold of, grasp, seize, catch" (see prehensile). Especially of ships captured at sea (1510s). The spelling with -z- is from late 16c.

Word Origin and History for prize (2 of 3)

prize

"to estimate," 1580s, alteration of Middle English prisen "to prize, value" (late 14c.), from stem of Old French preisier "to praise" (see praise (v.)). Related: Prized; prizing.

prize

noun

adjective

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Nearby words

Origin of prize

Synonym study

Definition for prize (2 of 3)

prize

verb (used with object), prized, priz·ing.

Origin of prize

Synonym study

Definition for prize (3 of 3)

prize

or prise

verb (used with object), prized, priz·ing.

noun

Origin of prize

Examples from the Web for prize

British Dictionary definitions for prize (1 of 3)

prize

noun

Word Origin for prize

British Dictionary definitions for prize (2 of 3)

prize

verb

Word Origin for prize

British Dictionary definitions for prize (3 of 3)

prize

verb, noun

Word Origin and History for prize (1 of 3)

prize

Word Origin and History for prize (1 of 3)

prize

Word Origin and History for prize (2 of 3)

prize