prodigy

noun

prod·​i·​gy ˈprä-də-jē How to pronounce prodigy (audio)
plural prodigies
1
a
: a highly talented child or youth
b
: an extraordinary, marvelous, or unusual accomplishment, deed, or event
2
a
: something extraordinary or inexplicable
b
: a portentous event : omen

Did you know?

Is a prodigy a genius or a monster - or both? Nowadays, it's the talent that shines through, but back in the 15th century the word's meaning was more strongly influenced by that of its Latin ancestor, prodigium, meaning "omen" or "monster." Back then, a prodigy could be any strange or weird thing that might be an omen of things to come. Even in modern English, the word sometimes refers to an extraordinary deed or accomplishment. P.G. Wodehouse used that sense when he described how a character named Pongo Twistleton was "performing prodigies with the [billiard] cue."

Examples of prodigy in a Sentence

a new drug that is being hailed as the latest prodigy of the medical world
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Since his beginnings as a prodigy, Hussain spent his early years collaborating with the greats of Indian music, including Ravi Shankar, Ali Akbar Khan, and Shivkumar Sharma, before forming the Indian jazz fusion band Shakti, with jazz guitarist John McLaughlin, in 1973. Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 16 Dec. 2024 Reeves, a former chess prodigy and banker, took helm of Britain’s $3.34 billion GDP economy in July. Erin Spencer Sairam, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024 Zendaya plays a onetime tennis prodigy who now manages her husband, a stalled star player (Mike Faist). Tom Gliatto, People.com, 11 Dec. 2024 Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) can put young math prodigies to shame. Byzack Savitsky, science.org, 3 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for prodigy 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin prodigium omen, monster, from pro-, prod- + -igium (akin to aio I say) — more at adage

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2b

Time Traveler
The first known use of prodigy was in the 15th century

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Dictionary Entries Near prodigy

Cite this Entry

“Prodigy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prodigy. Accessed 26 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

prodigy

noun
prod·​i·​gy ˈpräd-ə-jē How to pronounce prodigy (audio)
plural prodigies
1
: an amazing event or action : wonder
2
: an unusually talented child

More from Merriam-Webster on prodigy

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