phenom

[ fee-nom, fi-nom ]

noun

, Slang.

1. a phenomenon, especially a young prodigy:

   a twelve-year-old tennis phenom.

phenom

/ fɪˈnɒm /

noun

1. informal.
   a person or thing of outstanding abilities or qualities

Word History and Origins

Origin of phenom¹

By shortening

Word History and Origins

Origin of phenom¹

C20: from phenom ( enon )

Example Sentences

Certainly, they will add another starting pitcher or two — Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki is one leading candidate — and they will probably add a bullpen arm and veteran journeyman outfielder.

From Los Angeles Times

Friday’s game against the Spurs will give the Lakers their first look against Victor Wembanyama, fresh off the phenom scoring 50 points Wednesday night.

From Los Angeles Times

In a recent video shared on Instagram, the phenom shared how she had never tried the cocktail because she’d “always been playing.”

From Salon

She started making the jewelry referencing pop phenom Taylor Swift earlier this year to urge young white women to cast ballots.

From Los Angeles Times

The Rams kicking woes led to the drafting of Stanford phenom Joshua Karty, whose introduction to the NFL comes with a new kickoff rule.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• artist
• expert
• pro
• specialist

More About Phenom

What does phenom mean?

A phenom is a person with an extraordinary talent or ability. The word is especially used to refer to a relatively young person who is considered a prodigy.

Phenom is a shortened version of the word phenomenon, which can be used to mean the same thing.

The word phenom is often preceded by the particular field that the phenom excels in or the skill that they have, as in chess phenom or basketball phenom.

Example: All eyes are on the gymnastics phenom as she makes her first international appearance.

Where does phenom come from?

Phenom has been used as a shortening of phenomenon (meaning “an exceptionally talented person) since at least the 1880s. Phenomenon comes from the Greek phainómenon, from the verb phaínesthai, meaning “to appear, become visible,” from phaínein, “to show, bring to light, make known.”

Phenoms often gain fame due to their exceptional talents or abilities. This is especially the case for young people who are gifted beyond their years. The older that such a phenom gets, the less likely they are to be called a phenom, simply because it is less unexpected for an older person to possess exceptional skill.

Did you know ... ?

What are some synonyms for phenom?

• phenomenon
• sensation
• prodigy
• whiz kid
• wunderkind

What are some words that share a root or word element with phenom? 

• phenomenal
• phenomenology

What are some words that often get used in discussing phenom?

• music
• sports
• chess
• piano
• exceptional
• extraordinary
• talent
• skill
• international

How is phenom used in real life?

Phenom is somewhat informal. It’s most commonly used to refer to young people and is often preceded with a particular skill or field.

Vera Menchik: the forgotten chess phenom who beat male chess champions years before ‘Queen’s Gambit’ fictional Beth Harmon https://t.co/mPufrjVeSy

— Soraya Chemaly (@schemaly) November 29, 2020

Estee Ackerman, LI table tennis phenom, spreading the word – Newsday https://t.co/haU8mrHBfc pic.twitter.com/y8xs6Qg2AG

— TBL 🏓 TNS (@tbl_tns) January 6, 2018

The future looks bright with this 14 year-old piano phenom on the scene. https://t.co/oU0GVeKm44 #ClassicalMusic #HesSoLittle pic.twitter.com/gmv8HB1yQq

— Chamber Music Pittsburgh (@chambermusicpgh) May 11, 2018

 

 

Try using phenom!

Is phenom used correctly in the following sentence? 

The 10-year-old violin phenom displays an astounding ability.