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
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.
Could his prowess at penalties work in his favour?
From BBC • May 21, 2026
Streep might have the preternatural prowess of a woman born to embody characters and perform them before a camera.
From Salon • May 10, 2026
Blink customer William Dickey decided to test the system’s AI prowess at his home in Cushing, Maine, by donning horror-movie masks from his collection, said his wife, April Dickey.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026
For all the staging prowess, the final battle scene leaves one more agog on screen.
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026
There are all kinds of power—gang-type violent authority, sports-type physical prowess and social prestige, material wealth and economic dominance, power that comes from leadership, intellect, scholarship, knowledge.
From "How It Went Down" by Kekla Magoon
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.
