eminence

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English eminence, also emanence,^[2] borrowed from Old French eminence or directly borrowed from Latin ēminentia (“a distinctive feature, conspicuous part”),^[3][2][4][5] from ēminēns (“standing out, projecting; prominent”), the present participle of ēmineō (“to stand out, project”).^[3][5][6] The Latin verb is formed from ex- (“out”) and an element related to mōns (“hill”), from Proto-Indo-European *men- (“to project”).^[3] The Anglo-Norman noun, meaning distinction, is recorded from 1267.^[7] The adjective eminent comes from the same Latin participle.^[5][8]

Earliest recorded meaning

A projection or protuberance: about 1400, according to Etymonline, with "high or exalted position" following in the early 15th century.^[3] The Middle English Dictionary's first quotation, from about 1425, already has the sense of high or exalted position.^[2] The OED entry, not fully revised since 1891, has no record before 1595.^[5]

Semantic evolution

The word kept both the physical sense of the Latin, something that stands out, and the figurative one of standing out among others.^[9][5] In the physical line, it meant a projection on an organ or a bone in anatomy (from 1615 in the OED),^[5][9] the height or elevation of something (1658), and a piece of rising ground or a hill (1670).^[5] In the figurative line, Shakespeare used it of high social or official position (Measure for Measure, before 1616) and, in Troilus and Cressida (1609), for mastery or the upper hand, a sense now obsolete.^[5][10] From 1702 it was used of distinction in reputation or attainments.^[5] As a title of honour it is recorded from the 1650s, first in a letter of Cromwell's to Cardinal Mazarin (1653), and it is now given only to cardinals.^[5][3]

Timeline

• c. 1400 – a projection, protuberance.^[3]
• c. 1425 – high or exalted position.^[2][3]
• 1595 – pride, ambition (obsolete, rare).^[5]
• 1609 – mastery, the upper hand, in Shakespeare's Troilus and Cressida (obsolete by 1613).^[5]
• 1615 – in anatomy, a prominence on an organ or bone.^[5]
• 1653 – a title of honour, later only of cardinals.^[5][3]
• 1670 – a piece of rising ground, a hill.^[5]
• 1702 – distinction in reputation or attainments.^[5]

Meanings

Noun

1. A position of superiority, distinction, high rank or fame: She rose to eminence as a surgeon.^[11][10][12]
2. A piece of rising ground; a hill.^[11][12][5]
3. (anatomy) A rounded projection on an organ or part, especially on a bone.^[11][13][9]
4. A person of high rank or great achievement.^[12][13]
5. Eminence: with His or Your, a title used for a cardinal.^[11][12][5]
6. (obsolete, 1609–1613) The upper hand; superiority.^[5][10]

Word family

• preeminence
• eminence grise
• gray eminence

Related words

• eminent
• preeminent
• prominence
• imminent
• mount

Usage notes

The original éminence grise, "grey eminence", was François Leclerc du Trembley (1577–1638), the confidential agent of Cardinal Richelieu.^[3]

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d Kurath, Hans; Kuhn, Sherman M.; Lewis, Robert E., eds. (1952–2001), Middle English Dictionary, Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press; online edition ed. Frances McSparran et al. (2000–2018)
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ Gove, Philip Babcock, ed. (1961), Webster's Third New International Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Oxford English Dictionary Online (accessed March 2026), Oxford: Oxford University Press
6. ^ Stevenson, Angus, ed. (2010), Oxford Dictionary of English, 3rd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
7. ^ Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
8. ^ Klein, Ernest. A Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the English Language. 2 vols. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 1966–1967.
9. ^ a b c Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
10. ^ a b c Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
11. ^ a b c d Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins
12. ^ a b c d The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
13. ^ a b Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster