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

• cause célèbre
• cause celebre
• celeb
• figure
• icon
• ikon
• light
• luminary
• megastar
• name
• notability
• notable
• notoriety
• personage
• personality
• somebody
• standout
• star
• superstar
• VIP

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

In recent months celebrities have been wearing archival Cavalli for events. —Marissa Muller, WWD, 5 Mar. 2025

Wide-leg pants were the it style last season, according to celebrities like Jennifer Lopez and Brooke Shields. —Clara McMahon, People.com, 5 Mar. 2025

The latest fashion news, beauty coverage, celebrity style, fashion week updates, culture reviews, and videos on Vogue.com. —Phil Oh, Vogue, 5 Mar. 2025

Rose, 41, posted a photo of her look on Instagram where fans reacted, many comparing her to other celebrities after not recognizing her on first glance. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Mar. 2025

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