celebrity

noun

ce·​leb·​ri·​ty sə-ˈle-brə-tē 

plural celebrities

1

: the state of being celebrated : fame

The actress lived a life of celebrity.

2

: a famous or celebrated person

Many celebrities attended the awards ceremony.

Synonyms of celebrity

• star
• personality
• celeb

Examples of celebrity in a Sentence

The actress lived a life of celebrity.

There were many celebrities at the party.

Recent Examples on the Web

On the hotel's top floor, this is the kind of space that hosts heads of state, celebrities, and executives who require maximum grandeur. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Apr. 2026

Dressing celebrities is essential to any fashion house’s survival; the right famous person in your outfit can mean millions in revenue and boosted name recognition. —Rachel Tashjian, CNN Money, 1 Apr. 2026

Williams, Reese and other celebrities did hold speaking events over the weekend, though the audience was mostly empty, Kerr said. —Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026

The Fort Worth dining scene in March celebrated a handful of new restaurant openings, hosted multiple celebrity diners and discovered a few new digs on the docket. —Ella Gonzales april 1, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English celebrite "fame, renown," borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French celebrité, borrowed from Latin celebritāt-, celebritās "busy or crowded conditions, reputation, fame," from celebr-, celeber "much used, frequented, widely known, famed" + -itāt-, -itās -ity — more at celebrate

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing celebrity

• cult of celebrity
• local celebrity

Kids Definition

celebrity

noun

ce·​leb·​ri·​ty sə-ˈleb-rət-ē 

plural celebrities

1

: the state of being celebrated : fame

his short-lived celebrity

2

: a famous or celebrated person