prestige

noun

pres·​tige pre-ˈstēzh How to pronounce prestige (audio)
-ˈstēj
often attributive
1
: standing or estimation in the eyes of people : weight or credit in general opinion
2
: commanding position in people's minds
prestigeful adjective
Choose the Right Synonym for prestige

influence, authority, prestige, weight, credit mean power exerted over the minds or behavior of others.

influence may apply to a force exercised and received consciously or unconsciously.

used her influence to get the bill passed

authority implies the power of winning devotion or allegiance or of compelling acceptance and belief.

his opinions lacked authority

prestige implies the ascendancy given by conspicuous excellence or reputation for superiority.

the prestige of the newspaper

weight implies measurable or decisive influence in determining acts or choices.

their wishes obviously carried much weight

credit suggests influence that arises from the confidence of others.

his credit with the press

Examples of prestige in a Sentence

Her career as a diplomat has brought her enormous prestige. The job has low pay and low prestige. The family has wealth and social prestige.
Recent Examples on the Web He’s helmed prestige projects from auteurs like Guillermo Del Toro and David O. Russell and taken creative risks with films out of left field (see: American Sniper). Eric Farwell, EW.com, 8 Mar. 2024 Encouraged by her ideas around diversity and clean, prestige hair care, Sephora took a bet on the then-budding brand and in turn, transformed the hair care category (and ultimately, Twine's life trajectory). Kiana Murden, Vogue, 29 Feb. 2024 Just half a decade ago, these tech jobs represented a dream job for eager-eyed millennials and Gen Zers looking to make a good salary, reap the reward of cushy benefits, and put their hands on some prestige and the promise of stability. Chloe Berger, Fortune, 27 Feb. 2024 China’s lunar ambitions come as more countries are elevating their space programs eyeing the potential scientific benefit, national prestige and access to resources and further deep space exploration that successful moon missions and other developments could bring. Simone McCarthy, CNN, 26 Feb. 2024 The pairing of Cruise and the filmmaker is sure to raise the notion that the actor is hoping for a prestige play. Aaron Couch, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Feb. 2024 At the time, prestige TV was on the rise, and writers’ rooms across Hollywood became overly preoccupied with chasing critical approval, rather than audiences and revenue. Irina Aleksander, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2024 Also known for its prestige, BMW signed on as an official premium automotive partner of the event in 2023. Noël Burgess, Forbes, 12 Feb. 2024 And even though Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has denounced American luxury goods amid years of tensions with the West, consumers still want the phones and the prestige associated with them. Nasser Karimi, The Christian Science Monitor, 29 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prestige.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French, from Middle French, conjuror's trick, illusion, from Latin praestigiae, plural, conjuror's tricks, from praestringere to graze, blunt, constrict, from prae- + stringere to bind tight — more at strain

First Known Use

1829, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of prestige was in 1829

Dictionary Entries Near prestige

Cite this Entry

“Prestige.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prestige. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

prestige

noun
pres·​tige pre-ˈstēzh How to pronounce prestige (audio)
-ˈstēj
: importance in the eyes of other people
prestigious
-ˈstij-əs
adjective
prestigiously adverb
prestigiousness noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!