excellence English · revision 10273

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1382|origins=fro excellence|origins=la excellentia|origins=ine-pro *kel-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈɛksələns/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English, [[bor|fro|excellence]], itself from Latin excellentia, superiority,^(Etymonline)^(Klein 1966)^(SOED 2002) from excellēns, excellentem, distinguished, superior, present participle of excellere, to surpass, rise above (see [[excel]]),^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998) from ex-, out, and -cellere, to rise high, related to celsus, high,^(Etymonline) from PIE [[ine-pro|*kel-|t=to be prominent]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The state of excelling; superiority, greatness: 1382 in the OED, the mid-14th century in Etymonline.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ An excellent action or favour (about 1385, obsolete) and the quality in which someone excels (about 1391) followed soon after.^(OED 1989) The word was used of an excellent person (1447) and as a title of honour (about 1590), senses now taken by [[excellency]].^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1382 – superiority.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1391 – an excellent quality.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1447 – an excellent person.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1590 – a title of honour.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The state or quality of excelling; [[superiority]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Something in which a person or thing excels.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Excellency, as a title.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[superexcellence]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[excel]]

+ * [[excellent]]

+ * [[excellency]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}