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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."
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Examples of paragon in a Sentence
Morgan Goldberg, Architectural Digest, 30 Dec. 2024
Together in a two-story rental house off of Hollywood Boulevard, a small band of eager artisans created one of the paragons of American cinema.
—Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 27 Dec. 2024
Within the State Department, the SDU is a paragon of streamlined, agile government efficiency.
—Kristen Edgreen Kaufman, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
Jo Malone London, $250 A paragon of elegance, Jo Malone London keeps that standard while bringing a festive element to its Gingerbread Land Home Candle Trio.
—Emma Sandler, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Paragon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paragon. Accessed 19 Jan. 2025.
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