prestige

Pronunciation

• IPA: /preˈstiʒ/
• American: preh-STEEZH

Origin

From French prestige, originally from Latin praestigium meaning "illusion, magic trick", later evolved to mean "influence" or "glamour"

Meanings

1. Widespread respect and admiration based on achievements, quality, or importance

   • The company gained prestige after winning multiple industry awards.
   • Harvard University maintains its prestige through academic excellence.

2. Good reputation or high status

   • The prestigious job title brought him considerable prestige in his field.
   • The family's prestige in the community dates back generations.

Related Words

• Forms:

  • prestigious (adj) - respected, esteemed
  • prestigiously (adv)
  • prestigiousness (n)

• Synonyms:

  • status
  • reputation
  • distinction
  • esteem
  • standing
  • honor

Memory Tricks

1. Think "PRE-STAGE" - someone with prestige is always at the front of the stage, commanding respect

2. Break it down: "PRES" (like president) + "TIGE" - presidents typically have high prestige

3. Associate with the word "prestigious" which is more commonly used in daily conversation - if something is prestigious, it has prestige

Common Collocations

• gain/lose prestige
• social prestige
• international prestige
• academic prestige
• professional prestige