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
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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.
See Examples For:
The teenage prodigy has lit up Europe for the past two seasons.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
The teen prodigy from Barcelona came into this World Cup expecting to sweep America as the most successful Spanish import since the Macarena.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
And what of Lamine Yamal, the prodigy whose face appears on every poster, whose talent has already captured the world's imagination?
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
Yamal, an 18-year-old prodigy, showed flashes of his talent and set up his teammates well en route to winning man of the match honors that more than a few Spanish media members questioned.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2026
In fact, he got the same score I did: 1500 / 1500.1 am no longer the Republic’s only prodigy with a perfect score.
From "Legend" by Marie Lu
Its clashes—between young prodigies and seasoned grandmasters, diverging national loyalties and opposing personalities—have inspired fiction, films, a popular Netflix series and a current Broadway musical revival.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 3, 2026
He imagined a long-term couple, two former child prodigies who had grown up and were now living unremarkable lives.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 15, 2026
Estevao scored a breathtaking solo Champions League goal to win the battle of the teenage prodigies against Lamine Yamal on Tuesday as Chelsea humbled 10-man Barcelona 3-0.
From Barron's ● Nov. 25, 2025
Partly because he treated us kids like miniature adults; not prodigies, not pests, just small people doing something brave together.
From Salon ● Nov. 23, 2025
The Spies performed prodigies of activity in clambering over the rooftops and cutting the streamers that fluttered from the chimneys.
From "1984" by George Orwell
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.
