prowess
Americannoun
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exceptional valor, bravery, or ability, especially in combat or battle.
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exceptional or superior ability, skill, or strength.
his prowess as a public speaker.
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a valiant or daring deed.
noun
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outstanding or superior skill or ability
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bravery or fearlessness, esp in battle
Other Word Forms
- prowessed adjective
Etymology
Origin of prowess
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Old French proesse, proece “goodness, bravery,” equivalent to prou prow 2 + -esse, from Latin -itia -ice
Explanation
Prowess means exceptional skill or ability. Your sailing prowess might save your life in a storm, while someone with less experience might make mistakes. An earlier meaning of this word is exceptional bravery in battle, or a specific act of bravery. Prowess is a Middle English word borrowed from the Old French proesse, "courage, brave deed," from prud, "good, capable, brave." The related English word proud originally had the now obsolete meaning of "brave."
Vocabulary lists containing prowess
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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Olympics Vocabulary for Champions
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"The Flight of Icarus," Vocabulary from the myth
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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 age 5, Woods showed his golfing prowess on the television show “That’s Incredible.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026
But Olaf is also a showcase of China’s prowess.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026
If anything, strategists say the U.S. technological and military prowess on display in Venezuela and Iran are likely raising questions in Beijing about military readiness.
From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026
For decades, mole catchers in the countryside have hung their carcasses on fences to be counted for payment and as evidence of their trapping prowess.
From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026
They had a ranking system among themselves, and your rise through those ranks was due to prowess and nothing else.
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
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.
