Word of the Day

: September 26, 2008

prodigy

noun PRAH-duh-jee

What It Means

1 : something extraordinary : wonder

2 : a highly talented child

prodigy in Context

Musical audiences are fascinated by the prodigy, that rare and remarkable youngster who possesses technical mastery to rival that of the best adult performers.

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."