paragon

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noun par·a·gon \ ˈper-ə-ˌgän , -gən , ˈpa-rə- \

Definition of paragon

:a model of excellence or perfection

was a paragon of goodness

a paragon of a wife

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Examples of paragon in a Sentence

in Arthurian legend, Sir Galahad is depicted as the one knight who is a paragon of virtue

Recent Examples of paragon from the Web

Marc Eliot has this kind of challenge in hand with Charlton Heston: Hollywood’s Last Icon – a voluminous, and possibly definitive, study one of the big screen’s paragons of brawn and masculinity.

— colin fleming, The Christian Science Monitor, "'Charlton Heston' is a voluminous, possibly definitive, study of a Hollywood paragon of masculinity," 28 Aug. 2017
Diana, so revered, so belittled, so sanctified, so victimized, was in her death a reminder of the obvious: The people in the images, held up as paragons of beauty and talent and fame itself, are ultimately flesh and bone.

— megan garber, The Atlantic, "The Enduring Fictions of Princess Diana," 24 Aug. 2017
The suspense would be too much to take if this weren't a Disney remake and Disney weren't the paragon of magical fairytale love.

— madison feller, Cosmopolitan, "Sha La La La La La Float Along and Listen to This Shirtless Violinist Recreate The Little Mermaid," 22 Aug. 2017
Bazaar’s paragon of beauty at the time was Cheryl Tiegs, whose golden California glow and athletic outdoorsiness made her the perfect avatar for health and wellness.

— stephen mooallem, Harper's BAZAAR, "Free Love and Fashion," 18 Aug. 2017
Ann Coulter, who is not exactly known as a paragon of morality or integrity, was accused this week of running a cash-only side hustle at a fundraising event for a public library in East Hampton.

— gabriella paiella and jessica roy, The Cut, "This Week in Drama: Two Cat Fights and an Ann Coulter Side Hustle," 18 Aug. 2017
Unfortunately, not everyone can be a paragon of Portland ideals.

— OregonLive.com, "These are the 21 worst kinds of Portlanders," 11 July 2017
Canada could easily lose its current status as a paragon of liberalism and upholder of international order.

— jeff d. colgan, Washington Post, "Canada turns 150 today — and it’s enjoying a new global role," 1 July 2017
Protected by Pope John Paul II, coddled by Benedict XVI, he was also defended by an array of theological arch-conservatives as a paragon of virtue.

— andrew sullivan, Daily Intelligencer, "Cardinal Pell and the Vatican’s Day of Reckoning," 30 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'paragon.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

paragon Has Old Italian and Greek Roots

Paragon derives from the Old Italian word paragone, which literally means "touchstone." A touchstone is a black stone that was formerly used to judge the purity of gold or silver. The metal was rubbed on the stone and the color of the streak it left indicated its quality. In modern English, both touchstone and paragon have come to signify a standard against which something should be judged. Ultimately, paragon comes from the Greek parakonan, meaning "to sharpen," from the prefix para- ("alongside of") and akonē, meaning "whetstone."

Origin and Etymology of paragon

Middle French, from Old Italian paragone, literally, touchstone, from paragonare to test on a touchstone, from Greek parakonan to sharpen, from para- + akonē whetstone, from akē point; akin to Greek akmē point — more at edge

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1548

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