prodigy
noun
Did you know?
Is a prodigy a genius or a monster - or both? Nowadays, it's the talent that shines through, but back in the 15th century the word's meaning was more strongly influenced by that of its Latin ancestor, prodigium, meaning "omen" or "monster." Back then, a prodigy could be any strange or weird thing that might be an omen of things to come. Even in modern English, the word sometimes refers to an extraordinary deed or accomplishment. P.G. Wodehouse used that sense when he described how a character named Pongo Twistleton was "performing prodigies with the [billiard] cue."
Examples of prodigy in a Sentence
Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2025
Until recently, the top of women’s tennis was a hospitable place for prodigies.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 3 May 2025
Slated for release via Sony on May 30, new film Karate Kid: Legends sees LaRusso mentoring a young kung fu prodigy Li Fong (Ben Wang), transplanted from Beijing to New York, alongside Mr. Han (Jackie Chan).
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 24 Apr. 2025
Five months after his Nobel Prize, Hassabis’s journey from chess prodigy to Nobel laureate now leads toward an uncertain future.
—Billy Perrigo, Time, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prodigy
Cite this Entry
“Prodigy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prodigy. Accessed 23 May. 2025.
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prodigy
noun
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