prestigious
adjective
-ˈstē-
Did you know?
You might expect, based on how adjectives are often formed in English, that today’s word is an extension of the noun prestige. However, although both words share the same Latin root, they entered English by different routes and at different times. Moreover, both adjective and noun once had more to do with trickery than respect when they were first used. Prestigious came directly from the Latin adjective praestigiosis, meaning “full of tricks” or “deceitful,” and had a similar meaning upon entering English in the mid-16th century. Praestigiosis in turn came from the plural noun praestigiae, meaning “conjurer’s tricks.” This noun also gave English the word prestige, though it first passed through French and arrived a century after prestigious. Though it wasn’t first on the block, prestige influenced prestigious in a different way, by eventually developing an extended sense of “standing or esteem.” That change spurred a similar development in prestigious, which now means simply “illustrious or esteemed.”
Examples of prestigious in a Sentence
Angela Osorio, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026
Judge Cooper also stated that the highly prestigious Board of the Center was not authorized to add on the name ‘TRUMP’ despite the fact that hundreds of millions of dollars of my time and money will be necessary for its successful reincarnation.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 30 May 2026
San Diego native and Nickel Creek band co-founder Chris Thile has been named the music director for the 2027 Ojai Music Festival, one of the classical music world’s most prestigious and consistently groundbreaking annual events.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 May 2026
The most prestigious Italian pizza guide has released its annual lists of the best pizzerias around the world, and several Miami spots have made the list, including a beloved slice shop and a swanky new(ish) restaurant in Wynwood.
—Connie Ogle
may 29, Miami Herald, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for prestigious
Cite this Entry
“Prestigious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prestigious. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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