phenom
Americannoun
noun
Usage
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.
Etymology
Origin of phenom
By shortening
Explanation
An incredibly talented person can be called a phenom. You may dream of being recognized as a musical phenom during your ukulele performance at the school talent show. Young athletes with extraordinary skills are commonly described as phenoms, and it's no surprise that the term originated in baseball slang. It's a shortened form of phenomenon, "extraordinary occurrence," coined in the 1890s. A rookie pitcher who throws a no-hitter is a phenom, and so is someone like Greta Thunberg, who became a famous climate activist as a teenager. Use this word for people you find to be phenomenally inspiring!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But seeing close friend and teenage phenom Keys capture her major in Melbourne last year — after many wondered if her window had passed — hit closer to home.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 11, 2026
Their rookie teen phenom Cooper Flagg did not play, suffering a foot injury.
From Barron's • Feb. 21, 2026
And speedskating phenom Jordan Stolz delivered precisely what was expected with a commanding performance in the 1,000 meters.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 14, 2026
Stolz was already the phenom who’d started skating on a backyard pond and worked with Olympic champion Shani Davis and the late Bob Fenn.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 11, 2026
These teams pulled in big rowdy crowds as well as college scouts, but my parents were adamant that Craig not sacrifice his intellectual development for the short-lived glory of being a high school phenom.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
