prodigy
Americannoun
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a person, especially a child or young person, having extraordinary talent or ability.
a musical prodigy.
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a marvelous example (usually followed byof ).
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something wonderful or marvelous; a wonder.
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something abnormal or monstrous.
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Archaic. something extraordinary regarded as of prophetic significance.
noun
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a person, esp a child, of unusual or marvellous talents
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anything that is a cause of wonder and amazement
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something monstrous or abnormal
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an archaic word for omen
Etymology
Origin of prodigy
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English prodige, from Latin prōdigium “prophetic sign”
Explanation
A prodigy is someone who is so naturally talented at something that they become a master of that particular skill as a child — you can be a musical prodigy or a math prodigy. Mozart was one, writing symphonies and playing for kings when he was only five years old. Prodigy is one of those wonderful words whose different meanings tell a story about how the meanings of words bloom over time. The word derives from the Latin prodigium, meaning "an omen or a sign of something to come." Prodigies are kids who often seem so talented that their success must presage even greater mastery, though, of course, the irony is that most prodigies peak in their youth.
Vocabulary lists containing prodigy
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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.
At the age of 6 he was a chess prodigy.
From MarketWatch • May 23, 2026
Wolverhampton-born Rai was a golfing prodigy as a child, filmed by the BBC after getting a hole in one aged five.
From BBC • May 18, 2026
For his own part, Parsons wants to rush ahead and talk process, not prodigy.
From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026
The country’s resident tennis prodigy, Jannik Sinner, has four major titles and counting.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026
As Colin had explained to Hassan countless times, there's a stark difference between the words prodigy and genius.
From "An Abundance of Katherines" by John Green
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.
