prominence

noun

prom·​i·​nence ˈprä-mə-nən(t)s 

ˈpräm-nən(t)s

1

: something prominent : projection

a rocky prominence

2

: the quality, state, or fact of being prominent or conspicuous

3

: a mass of gas resembling a cloud that arises from the chromosphere of the sun

Synonyms

• altitude(s)
• elevation
• eminence
• height
• highland
• hill
• hump
• mound
• rise
• upland

Examples of prominence in a Sentence

The company rose to prominence in the 1990s.

The publicity has given him a prominence he doesn't deserve.

Recent Examples on the Web

One America News first rose to prominence in the weeks following the 2020 election as it was championed by Trump over its coverage of his allegations of voter fraud, but has in recent years been dropped by a number of major cable and satellite providers. —Dominick Mastrangelo, The Hill, 10 Dec. 2024

In a then-burgeoning hip-hop scene, the fellow New York natives rose to prominence in the East Coast rap world through the mid-1990s. —Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY, 10 Dec. 2024

In the 1960s and 70s, Mackie rose to prominence by designing dazzling ensembles for popular variety shows such as The Judy Garland Show, Cher and The Carol Burnett Show. —Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024

This case is among the first in California to successfully convict drug dealers of murder for providing a deadly dose of fentanyl, a legal practice that has increasingly gained prominence across the state as overdoses from the synthetic opioid have skyrocketed in recent years. —Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin prōminentia "state of projecting or jutting out," noun derivative of prōminent-, prōminens "projecting, standing out," from present participle of prōminēre "to project beyond a surface, stick out, stick up" — more at prominent

First Known Use

1533, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

prominence

noun

prom·​i·​nence ˈpräm(-ə)-nən(t)s 

1

: the quality, state, or fact of being prominent : distinction

a person of prominence

2

: something (as a mountain) that is prominent

3

: a mass of gas resembling a cloud that arises from the chromosphere of the sun

Medical Definition

prominence

noun

prom·​i·​nence ˈpräm(-ə)-nən(t)s 

: an elevation or projection on an anatomical structure (as a bone)