preeminent

or pre-em·i·nent

[ pree-em-uh-nuhnt ]

adjective

1. eminent above or before others; superior; surpassing:

   He is preeminent in his profession.

   Synonyms: supreme, peerless, distinguished

Other Words From

• pre·emi·nent·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of preeminent¹

1400–50; late Middle English < Latin praeēminent- (stem of praeēminēns ), present participle of praeēminēre to project forward, be prominent. See pre-, eminent

Synonym Study

See dominant.

Example Sentences

One example: Irwin’s eye-bending “dot painting,” the exhibition’s preeminent work.

From Los Angeles Times

But virtually ever since, animosity between the preeminent global body and the tiny Middle Eastern country has steadily grown, escalating now as U.N. forces have been drawn into Israel’s attacks in southern Lebanon.

From Los Angeles Times

According to Mark Walker, author of “Ghostmasters,” the preeminent text on spook shows, these performances gradually lost their audiences due to a number of factors, including the rise of a new invention called television, the downsizing of movie houses, and rising operational costs.

From Los Angeles Times

But it wasn’t just the absence of her adoring public that hurt Callas, an inability to use her preeminent voice scarred her just as much.

From Salon

Should Beijing succeed Washington as the world’s preeminent power, future historians will likely look back on its Belt and Road Forum, which brought 130 nations to Beijing in 2017, as the formal start of the Chinese era.

From Salon

Related Words

• distinguished
• dominant
• main
• outstanding
• peerless
• predominant
• renowned
• transcendent
• ultimate