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Paragon Has Old Italian and Greek Roots
Paragon derives from the Old Italian word paragone, which literally means "touchstone." A touchstone is a black stone that was formerly used to judge the purity of gold or silver. The metal was rubbed on the stone and the color of the streak it left indicated its quality. In modern English, both touchstone and paragon have come to signify a standard against which something should be judged. Ultimately, paragon comes from the Greek parakonan, meaning "to sharpen," from the prefix para- ("alongside of") and akonē, meaning "whetstone."
Synonyms
Examples of paragon in a Sentence
Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2024
Amazon was once hailed as the paragon of a rock-solid corporate culture that had both universal buy-in from employees and the ability to deliver results.
—Paolo Confino, Fortune, 31 Oct. 2024
The West, defaulting to this idealized imagery, has viewed Japan’s design sensibilities over time as a paragon of elevated taste and meticulous minimalism.
—Longreads, 18 Oct. 2024
The event usually hosts around 450 attendees, welcoming stars, young creatives, and industry paragons each year.
—Vogue, 9 Oct. 2024
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Dictionary Entries Near paragon
Cite this Entry
“Paragon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paragon. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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