prestigious
adjective
-ˈstē-
Did you know?
You might expect, based on how adjectives are often formed in English, that today’s word is an extension of the noun prestige. However, although both words share the same Latin root, they entered English by different routes and at different times. Moreover, both adjective and noun once had more to do with trickery than respect when they were first used. Prestigious came directly from the Latin adjective praestigiosis, meaning “full of tricks” or “deceitful,” and had a similar meaning upon entering English in the mid-16th century. Praestigiosis in turn came from the plural noun praestigiae, meaning “conjurer’s tricks.” This noun also gave English the word prestige, though it first passed through French and arrived a century after prestigious. Though it wasn’t first on the block, prestige influenced prestigious in a different way, by eventually developing an extended sense of “standing or esteem.” That change spurred a similar development in prestigious, which now means simply “illustrious or esteemed.”
Examples of prestigious in a Sentence
Sj Studio, Sourcing Journal, 16 Oct. 2025
The two take design cues from the Porsche 917 KH that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1970, earning the nameplate its first overall victory at the prestigious race.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2025
For most filmmakers, the ultimate goal of a short film is to land a prestigious festival premiere.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 15 Oct. 2025
Sandler also received the prestigious Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prestigious
Cite this Entry
“Prestigious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prestigious. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
Copy Citation
Share