prodigy

noun

prod·​i·​gy ˈprä-də-jē 

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."

Synonyms

• caution
• flash
• marvel
• miracle
• phenomenon
• portent
• sensation
• splendor
• wonder

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

Currently, she can be seen starring in the feature The Prodigies, a true story about twin sister piano prodigies who refuse to abandon their dream, directed by Valentin and Frédéric Potier. —Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 1 May 2025

This week, the Madrid Open brought a coaching comeback story, a reminder of the growth required to be a tennis prodigy and a reminder of a false dawn at the top of men’s tennis. —Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025

Now that Brandon’s in college, the one-time prodigy wants to be known as an adult performer. —Steve Rothaus, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2025

Using a highly technical result in number theory by the Indian math prodigy Srinivasa Ramanujan, Sarnak and his collaborators produced regular graphs that achieved the Alon-Boppana bound. —Leila Sloman, Quanta Magazine, 18 Apr. 2025

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

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Kids Definition

prodigy

noun

prod·​i·​gy ˈpräd-ə-jē 

plural prodigies

1

: an amazing event or action : wonder

2

: an unusually talented child