celebrity

noun

ce·​leb·​ri·​ty sə-ˈle-brə-tē 

plural celebrities

1

: the state of being celebrated : fame

The actress lived a life of celebrity.

2

: a famous or celebrated person

Many celebrities attended the awards ceremony.

Synonyms

• star
• personality
• celeb

Examples of celebrity in a Sentence

The actress lived a life of celebrity.

There were many celebrities at the party.

Recent Examples on the Web

Perhaps even the idea of an upscale magazine in the mold of Vanity Fair is simply less meaningful in a contemporary media landscape where celebrities constantly churn out their own content and popular culture is fragmented across a landscape of mid-sized creators. —Max Tani, semafor.com, 3 Nov. 2025

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. —Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 2 Nov. 2025

Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter. —Ew Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Nov. 2025

On October 25, the 28-year-old actor unveiled a completely fresh look on the Christy premiere red carpet, starting with a chin-length chop by celebrity hairstylist Glen Coco Oropeza. —Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 26 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English celebrite "fame, renown," borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French celebrité, borrowed from Latin celebritāt-, celebritās "busy or crowded conditions, reputation, fame," from celebr-, celeber "much used, frequented, widely known, famed" + -itāt-, -itās -ity — more at celebrate

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing celebrity

• cult of celebrity
• local celebrity

Kids Definition

celebrity

noun

ce·​leb·​ri·​ty sə-ˈleb-rət-ē 

plural celebrities

1

: the state of being celebrated : fame

his short-lived celebrity

2

: a famous or celebrated person