prodigy

noun

prod·​i·​gy ˈprä-də-jē How to pronounce prodigy (audio)
plural prodigies
Synonyms of prodigy
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 of prodigy

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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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Song Kang stars as Kang Bi-o, a prodigy accustomed to being top of his class, whose position is threatened by transfer student Choi Jeong-yo (Lee Jun-young), a raw talent from a disadvantaged background. — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026 Tashi is a former tennis prodigy who coached her on-screen husband Art in the sport. — Audrey Schmidt, PEOPLE, 1 Aug. 2026 Dix was a baseball prodigy too cocky and flashy for his own good who now coasts through life on his long-ago heroics coupled with charm and an undeserved diet of luck. — Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026 One focuses on Ted as a teenage prodigy attending Harvard in the 1950s who becomes the unwitting victim of abusive experiments by his psychology professor, Henry Murray (Russell Crowe). — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for prodigy

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of prodigy was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

prodigus
prodigy
prodissoconch
See all Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Prodigy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prodigy. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

prodigy

noun
prod·​i·​gy ˈpräd-ə-jē How to pronounce prodigy (audio)
plural prodigies
1
: an amazing event or action : wonder
2
: an unusually talented child

More from Merriam-Webster on prodigy

Nglish: Translation of prodigy for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about prodigy

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