excellence

[ ek-suh-luhns ]

noun

1. the fact or state of excelling; superiority; eminence:

   his excellence in mathematics.

   Synonyms: distinction, transcendence, preeminence

2. an excellent quality or feature:

   Use of herbs is one of the excellences of French cuisine.

   Synonyms: virtue, merit

   Antonyms: inferiority

3. (usually initial capital letter) excellency ( def 1 ).

excellence

/ ˈɛksələns /

noun

1. the state or quality of excelling or being exceptionally good; extreme merit; superiority
2. an action, characteristic, feature, etc, in which a person excels

Other Words From

• super·excel·lence noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of excellence¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin excellentia; equivalent to excel + -ence

Example Sentences

We learn about da Vinci’s early life, family, education and lovers, and the doc does an admirable job of explaining not just excellence but innovation.

From New York Times

"A hard cap would be bad for Australia’s human capital and the talent pipeline, bad for soft power and bad for academic excellence and research," Julian Hill told The Australian newspaper.

From BBC

Under the idea, professors would be paid bonuses for excellence, “e.g., $1 million for a Nobel Prize,” Mr. Sass’s presentation said.

From New York Times

The lull at the AT&T Stadium also soon changed with the crowd drawn in by a peak of boxing excellence.

From BBC

In his statement announcing Hegseth as his Defense secretary pick, the president-elect said the book “reveals the leftwing betrayal of our Warriors, and how we must return out Military to meritocracy, lethality, accountability, and excellence.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• greatness
• merit
• perfection
• purity
• quality
• supremacy
• virtue