Added 9 October 2026
prestigious
/pɹɛˈstɪd͡ʒəs/ adjective
Latin root: praestigiosus Wiktionary
adjective Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about prestigious at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
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Having an illustrious reputation; respected.
our esteemed leader
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Exerting influence by reason of high status or prestige.
a prestigious professor at a prestigious university
Origin
Attested since the 1540s; Latin praestigiosus (“full of tricks”), praestigiae (“juggler's tricks”), possibly an alteration of praestringō (“to blindfold, to dazzle”), from prae- (“before”) with stringō (“to bind or tie”); equivalent to prestige + -ious. Unstressed /ɛ/ is retained by analogy with prestige.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)