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 want to build a home that is reflective of who they are, the direction we’re going, the excellence they strive for and model all the time,” Pebley said.

From Los Angeles Times

In a groundbreaking new study, conducted within the framework of the FWF-funded Cluster of Excellence "Microbiomes drive Planetary Health," scientists from the University of Vienna, in collaboration with the University of Southampton, Aalborg University and Boston University, have revealed that the widely prescribed Parkinson's disease drug entacapone significantly disrupts the human gut microbiome by inducing iron deficiency.

From Science Daily

This study was conducted as part of the FWF-funded Cluster of Excellence "Microbiomes drive Planetary Health," a collaborative research initiative including eight leading Austrian Research Institutions.

From Science Daily

"It used to be, 'What were Black people going to do in order to get ahead?' You were going to either really push the limits and become a doctor, you were really going to push the limits and become a lawyer, or you were going to push the limits to become an educator. That was the way into their excellence."

From Salon

Ralph found her way into excellence through theater, where she earned a Tony nomination for best actress in a musical for her role as Deena Jones in the original "Dreamgirls" on Broadway and as Madame Morrible in "Wicked."

From Salon

Related Words

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