preeminent

adjective

pre·​em·​i·​nent prē-ˈe-mə-nənt 

: having paramount rank, dignity, or importance : outstanding, supreme

preeminently adverb

Did you know?

What is noteworthy about the following sentence? "Denali Mountain is a prominent eminence on the Alaskan landscape." You very likely recognized two words that are closely related to preeminent: prominent and eminence. All three words are rooted in the Latin verb stem -minēre, meaning "to stand out." Mount is also a related word: it comes from Latin mont- or mons, meaning "mountain," which shares a common ancestor with -minēre. Mount leads us in turn to paramount, a word closely related in meaning to preeminent.

Synonyms

• arch
• big
• capital
• cardinal
• central
• chief
• dominant
• first
• foremost
• grand
• great
• greatest
• highest
• key
• leading
• main
• master
• number one
• No. 1
• numero uno
• overbearing
• overmastering
• overriding
• paramount
• predominant
• premier
• primal
• primary
• principal
• prior
• sovereign
• sovran
• supreme

Examples of preeminent in a Sentence

She's the preeminent chef in a city that has many good ones.

The poem is a preeminent example of his work.

Recent Examples on the Web

Lover of Men: The Untold History of Abraham Lincoln examines the intimate life of America’s most consequential president as told by preeminent Lincoln scholars and never before seen photographs and letters. —Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 6 Sep. 2024

Explore Bruno Mars See latest videos, charts and news Before Bruno Mars became synonymous with near-flawless Grammy track records and surefire Billboard Hot 100 smashes, the 21st century’s preeminent old-school musical showman was cutting his teeth in the pop songwriting trenches. —Kyle Denis, Billboard, 6 Sep. 2024

This blend of professional expertise, comprehensive services, and a client-centric ethos solidifies Parker Austin's standing as a preeminent wealth manager, dedicated to empowering individuals and families to achieve their financial ambitions and secure their futures. —Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 5 Sep. 2024

Rivet will be at both with the fall issue distributed across NYC fashion events in September and the preeminent denim event in October. —Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 3 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Late Latin praeeminent-, praeeminens, from Latin, present participle of praeeminēre to be outstanding, from prae- + eminēre to stand out — more at eminent

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

preeminent

adjective

pre·​em·​i·​nent prē-ˈem-ə-nənt 

: having supreme rank, dignity, or importance : outstanding

preeminently adverb