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 of celebrity

• 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

As interest in Swift's wedding continues to grow, fans have been eager to learn who could be among the guests, including celebrities from both the music industry and the world of professional sports. — Caché McClay, USA Today, 26 June 2026

Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter. — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 26 June 2026

Fortunately, celebrities have already found the solution. — Nicol Natale, PEOPLE, 26 June 2026

Creators felt more relatable than celebrities. — Anastasia Shtompel, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026

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