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 of prodigy

• miracle
• marvel
• wonder
• phenomenon

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

The prodigy who has mastered one thing and only one thing, the safest play almost everywhere else, is the wrong fit here. — Jamie Beaton, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

Jake Johnson stars in the watchable but entirely vanilla Apple TV sports comedy, which spins a tale of underdog triumph around a once-promising tennis prodigy who rediscovers his mojo on a pickleball court. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 21 July 2026

Think about the difference between American soccer prodigies and a Messi, who took up the game at the age of 3 or 4 in his sprawling home city of Rosario. — Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 20 July 2026

Character Descriptions Jabari Banks as Dwayne Richmond — A charismatic tennis prodigy who experts anticipate will be among the best players in the world. — Joe Otterson, Variety, 20 July 2026

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