Word of the Day : January 18, 2021

preeminent \pree-EM-uh-nunt\ adjective

Definition

1 : exhibiting eminence especially in standing above others in some quality or position : prominent

2 : standing out so as to be readily perceived or noted : conspicuous

3 : jutting out : projecting

Did You Know?

What is noteworthy about the following sentence? "Denali Mountain is a prominent eminence on 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." Mount is also a related word: it comes from Latin mont- or mons, meaning "mountain," which shares a common ancestor with -minēre. Mount leads us in turn to paramount, a word closely related in meaning to preeminent.

Aired January 18, 2021

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