prodigy

noun

prod·​i·​gy ˈprä-də-jē 

plural prodigies

1

a

: a highly talented child or youth

b

: an extraordinary, marvelous, or unusual accomplishment, deed, or event

2

a

: something extraordinary or inexplicable

b

: a portentous event : omen

Did you know?

Is a prodigy a genius or a monster - or both? Nowadays, it's the talent that shines through, but back in the 15th century the word's meaning was more strongly influenced by that of its Latin ancestor, prodigium, meaning "omen" or "monster." Back then, a prodigy could be any strange or weird thing that might be an omen of things to come. Even in modern English, the word sometimes refers to an extraordinary deed or accomplishment. P.G. Wodehouse used that sense when he described how a character named Pongo Twistleton was "performing prodigies with the [billiard] cue."

Synonyms

• caution
• flash
• marvel
• miracle
• phenomenon
• portent
• sensation
• splendor
• wonder

Examples of prodigy in a Sentence

a new drug that is being hailed as the latest prodigy of the medical world

Recent Examples on the Web

The young prodigy was a fast study — perhaps too fast. —Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 19 May 2024

Wyatt Ellis is only 15, but the mandolin prodigy is making quite a splash on the bluegrass world and appearing alongside some pillars of the genre — Bobby Osborne, Sierra Hull, Sam Bush, Marty Stuart, Ronnie McCoury, among them. —Garret K. Woodward, Rolling Stone, 15 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin prodigium omen, monster, from pro-, prod- + -igium (akin to aio I say) — more at adage

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2b

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

prodigy

noun

prod·​i·​gy ˈpräd-ə-jē 

plural prodigies

1

: an amazing event or action : wonder

2

: an unusually talented child