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preeminent

adjective
pre·​em·​i·​nent | \ prē-ˈe-mə-nənt How to pronounce preeminent (audio) \

Definition of preeminent

: having paramount rank, dignity, or importance : outstanding, supreme
Other Words from preeminent Synonyms & Antonyms Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about preeminent

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Other Words from preeminent

preeminently adverb

Did You Know?

What is noteworthy about the following sentence? "Mount McKinley is a prominent eminence in the Alaskan landscape." You very likely recognized two words that are closely related to "preeminent" - "prominent" and "eminence." All three words are rooted in the Latin verb stem -minēre, meaning "to stand out." But did you note as well the related word mount? Not too surprisingly, "-minēre" is related to "mons," the Latin word for "mountain." That relationship leads us in turn to "paramount," a word closely related in meaning to "preeminent."

Examples of preeminent in a Sentence

She's the preeminent chef in a city that has many good ones. The poem is a preeminent example of his work.

Recent Examples on the Web

 Maintaining that pace against the Pac-12’s preeminent ball-control offense is certainly no easy feat. — Los Angeles Times, "The Sports Report: Serena Williams is back in the U.S. Open final," 6 Sep. 2019 Wellesley College, the nation’s preeminent women’s campus is in unfamiliar territory: defending itself against charges of sexism in an in-your-face advertising campaign launched by the local electrical workers union. — Deirdre Fernandes, BostonGlobe.com, "Wellesley College takes heat from electrical union over female construction jobs," 5 Sep. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'preeminent.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of preeminent

15th century, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for preeminent

Middle English, from Late Latin praeeminent-, praeeminens, from Latin, present participle of praeeminēre to be outstanding, from prae- + eminēre to stand out — more at eminent

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More Definitions for preeminent

preeminent

adjective
How to pronounce preeminent (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of preeminent

formal : more important, skillful, or successful than others : better than others

See the full definition for preeminent in the English Language Learners Dictionary

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More from Merriam-Webster on preeminent

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for preeminent

Spanish Central: Translation of preeminent

Nglish: Translation of preeminent for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of preeminent for Arabic Speakers

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