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

Coleman is among the wave of co-stars, celebrities, and fans paying tribute to Panettiere after her death. — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2026

From the outside looking in, Dakota Fanning — as a household name for roughly two decades and an actor with an enviable list of credits — might seem to exist in the usual celebrity bubble, insulated, as far as possible, from quotidian inconvenience. — Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026

No pomp, no circumstance, no celebrity— this is the sticky ground floor of the nation’s country music scene. — Jacqueline Kehoe, Midwest Living, 19 Aug. 2026

Athletes now can be paid like almost any other celebrity, from modest deals with a local burger joint to multimillion-dollar contracts for star quarterbacks, and many of those agreements are now aided, if not actively brokered, by people on campus. — ABC News, 19 Aug. 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