prodigy
noun
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."
Synonyms
Examples of prodigy in a Sentence
Peter Debruge, Variety, 12 Apr. 2024
One bright spot for the piano prodigy was cartoons, which often used classical music in their scores.
—Beth Wood, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Apr. 2024
When Beane turned him down, all Henry did was hire the data-crunching prodigy Theo Epstein, who went on to lead both the Red Sox and Cubs to historic championships.
—Paolo Confino, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2024
But now, Hanamaki Higashi High School celebrates a new prodigy in its midst – one whose high-school records beat even those of Ohtani and Kikuchi.
—Hanako Montgomery, CNN, 30 Mar. 2024
This prodigy, who has the weight of a nation on his shoulders, exudes joy and character for one so novice.
—Joseph O'Sullivan, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
The classical artist was born Byron Yanks on March 24, 1928 outside of Pittsburgh and proved to be a piano prodigy from a young age.
—Sadie Bell, Peoplemag, 18 Mar. 2024
Sunday, resplendent in bright yellowish green, the prodigy won her third-round match in the Miami Open, her hometown tournament 40 miles south of where she was born and raised in Delray Beach.
—Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 24 Mar. 2024
But as confirmed on Friday, the promising prodigy is set to make his Bernabeu debut some time before the La Liga season in August.
—Tom Sanderson, Forbes, 1 Mar. 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.
Articles Related to prodigy
Dictionary Entries Near prodigy
Cite this Entry
“Prodigy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prodigy. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
prodigy
noun
Share