prestige

noun

pres·​tige pre-ˈstēzh How to pronounce prestige (audio)
-ˈstēj
often attributive
Synonyms of prestigenext
1
: standing or estimation in the eyes of people : weight or credit in general opinion
2
: commanding position in people's minds
prestigeful
pre-ˈstēzh-fəl How to pronounce prestige (audio)
-ˈstēj-
adjective
Choose the Right Synonym for prestige

influence, authority, prestige, weight, credit mean power exerted over the minds or behavior of others.

influence may apply to a force exercised and received consciously or unconsciously.

used her influence to get the bill passed

authority implies the power of winning devotion or allegiance or of compelling acceptance and belief.

his opinions lacked authority

prestige implies the ascendancy given by conspicuous excellence or reputation for superiority.

the prestige of the newspaper

weight implies measurable or decisive influence in determining acts or choices.

their wishes obviously carried much weight

credit suggests influence that arises from the confidence of others.

his credit with the press

Examples of prestige in a Sentence

Her career as a diplomat has brought her enormous prestige. The job has low pay and low prestige. The family has wealth and social prestige.
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.
For seven of its eight episodes, The Penguin paid homage to the antihero era of prestige TV. —Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2024 Eastwood, of course, has brought Warner Bros. plenty of awards season prestige over the past three decades, winning Best Picture (as a producer) and Best Director Oscars for 1993’s Unforgiven and 2005’s Million Dollar Baby. —Tim Lammers, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024 The prestige brand is opening its first U.S. retail door in New York’s SoHo on Wednesday. —James Manso, WWD, 30 Oct. 2024 Ukrainian forces penetrated Russian defenses in August and seized a swath of Russian territory in the Kursk region — a gambit seen by many as a blow to Putin’s prestige. —Matthew Bodner, NBC News, 30 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for prestige 

Word History

Etymology

French, from Middle French, conjuror's trick, illusion, from Latin praestigiae, plural, conjuror's tricks, from praestringere to graze, blunt, constrict, from prae- + stringere to bind tight — more at strain

First Known Use

1829, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of prestige was in 1829

Dictionary Entries Near prestige

prestidigitation

prestige

prestigiation

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Prestige.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prestige. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

prestige

noun
pres·​tige pre-ˈstēzh How to pronounce prestige (audio)
-ˈstēj
: importance in the eyes of other people
prestigious
-ˈstij-əs
adjective
prestigiously adverb
prestigiousness noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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