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
Jordan Moreau, Variety, 10 Dec. 2025
In the story, based on the 1910 novel by Gaston Leroux, the brooding musical prodigy Phantom, who wears a mask to cover a facial disfigurement, haunts the Paris Opera House and becomes obsessed with young soprano Christine Daaé.
—Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 7 Dec. 2025
The twins, returning home after enriching themselves in gangland Chicago, open a juke joint and hire a young prodigy and an esteemed elder to perform there.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 5 Dec. 2025
Where college athletes, high school prodigies, and viral trick-shot artists failed, Ronaldo succeeded.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 3 Dec. 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 11 Dec. 2025.
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prodigy
noun
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