prestige
prestige Lexical Profile
prestige Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Widespread respect, admiration, and high standing felt for someone or something on the basis of a perception of their achievements or quality.
"Winning the international fellowship brought immense prestige to the research department."
• adjective
Conferring, possessing, or associated with high status, distinction, or luxury; used exclusively before a noun.
"The publisher invested heavily in the prestige edition of the encyclopedia."
Word Nuance & Usage
When used as an adjective (or attributive noun), 'prestige' is restricted to modifying a noun directly before it (e.g., 'a prestige university'); for predicative positions after a verb, 'prestigious' must be used.
• Rhymes for prestige
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the mid-17th century from French prestige, meaning 'illusion' or 'conjuring trick', from Latin praestigium ('delusion'), derived from praestringere ('to blindfold or dazzle'). Its sense shifted in the 19th century from deceptive dazzlement to impressive, high-status standing.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.