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

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As Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's reported wedding approaches, experts say the ceremony is poised to become much more than a celebrity milestone. — Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026

While high-income OnlyFans models can make as much as $100,000 per month − or even in the millions for some celebrity accounts − most aren't rising to that kind of success overnight, or possibly ever. — Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 1 July 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