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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."
Examples of paragon in a Sentence
Alison Willmore, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2025
Hijiri is a paragon of selflessness who teaches Scarlet that living for others is the only fulfilling way.
—Adam Solomons, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2025
Over the next four decades, GameDay evolved into a traveling paragon of sports television, barnstorming its way across college campuses each week, with Corso serving as master of ceremonies.
—Christopher Kamrani, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2025
To support these claims, Unger marshaled his own thought experiments—the cherished arrows in every philosopher’s quiver—beside which the Shallow Pond is a paragon of simplicity.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for paragon
Cite this Entry
“Paragon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paragon. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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