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 One day, in the classical department of El Duende, a Guatemala City record store, a DVD with a young cellist on the cover caught her eye: British prodigy Jacqueline du Pré, playing Elgar’s Cello Concerto in E Minor. Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 5 Mar. 2024 The 16-year-old prodigy of the La Masia academy Lamine Yamal can also probably be added to the list. Tom Sanderson, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 The trio turn up the heat in the provocative new film centering on tennis prodigy Tashi Duncan (Zendaya), who becomes a coach after a devastating career-ending injury. Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 21 Feb. 2024 An 8-year-old Chess prodigy made history over the weekend by becoming the youngest player to ever defeat a grandmaster in an official tournament match. Sean Neumann, Peoplemag, 20 Feb. 2024 Madrid has Palmeiras prodigy Endrick arriving at the Bernabeu this summer too, and most likely one of the world's best left backs in Alphonso Davies. Tom Sanderson, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 Golf prodigy Michelle Wie West is getting the documentary treatment, with NBC Sports and Campfire Studios working on the project alongside the USGA. Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Feb. 2024 Jones describes himself as a musical prodigy, playing with the likes of gospel musicians Donald Lawrence, The Clark Sisters and the Smokie Norful. Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 26 Feb. 2024 At just 8-years-old, Singaporean chess prodigy Ashwath Kaushik became the youngest player ever to defeat a grandmaster in a classic tournament game, Chess.com reported. Katherine Itoh, NBC News, 20 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prodigy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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 19 Mar. 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

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