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 former child chess prodigy is nothing if not relentlessly competitive. — Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 23 June 2026

From the streets to the sheets, West Coast prodigy Blxst has turned his pain and passion into profit by masterfully blending melodies with bars. — Adelle Platon, VIBE.com, 24 June 2026

Her comeback follows a career that saw her as an elite prodigy, even beating Simone Biles, before injuries led her to retire from elite competition. — Caroline Price, Forbes.com, 27 June 2026

Kevin Young—now The New Yorker’s poetry editor—was a year behind Whitehead, but already a campus prodigy. — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 22 June 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