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

The 7-day reality competition sees 10-12 influencers and celebrities living together while competing for a £1M prize fund. —Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 28 Jan. 2026

Ahead of the historic 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Fox Sports is bringing in celebrity dog-lovers as guest commentators, including Matt Freese, Ken Jeong, Bob Odenkirk, Dennis Quaid, Gina Torres and Bubba Wallace. —Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 28 Jan. 2026

While none of those products are inherently bad, when skin is particularly sensitive, too many products at once can further disrupt the skin and even contribute to breakouts, celebrity aesthetician and acne specialist Sofie Pavitt previously explained. —Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 28 Jan. 2026

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. —Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 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