excellence

E1X8C3E1L1L1E1N1C3E1
/ˈɛksələns/

noun

The quality of being excellent; brilliance

“John Davies was awarded for excellence in the field of computer security.”

Similar
superioritypre-eminenceperfectionworthgoodnesspuritygreatnessexcellency
OriginMiddle English excellence ← Old French excellence ← Latin excellentia →
CommonScrabble 21
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Meanings

excellence1

nounexcellence (usually uncountable, plural excellences)

plural excellences

  1. uncountableusuallyThe quality of being excellent; brilliance

    John Davies was awarded for excellence in the field of computer security.

  2. uncountableusuallySomething in which one excels.
  3. uncountableusuallyAn excellent or valuable quality; something at which any someone excels; a virtue.

Excellence2

proper noun
  1. A title of honor or respect; more common in the form Excellency.

Synonyms & antonyms

Similar
superioritypre-eminenceperfectionworthgoodnesspuritygreatness

nounan outstanding feature; something in which something or someone excels

Similar
excellency
Broader
featurecharacteristic
Also see
excellencyexcellentnessmeritplural intensivesuperiority

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latinexcellentia
  2. Old Frenchexcellence
  3. Middle Englishexcellence
  4. Englishexcellence

From Middle English excellence, from Old French excellence, from Latin excellentia.

More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Afrikaans uitmuntendheid, voortreflikheid
  • uitmuntendheidthe quality of being excellent
  • voortreflikheidthe quality of being excellent
Ancient Greek ὑπεροχή
  • ὑπεροχή (huperokhḗ)the quality of being excellent
Bulgarian превъзхо́дство
  • превъзхо́дство (prevăzhódstvo)the quality of being excellent
Catalan excel·lència
  • excel·lènciathe quality of being excellent
Chinese Mandarin 卓越
  • 卓越 (zhuóyuè)the quality of being excellent
Czech výtečnost
  • výtečnostthe quality of being excellent
Dutch uitmuntendheid, voortreffelijkheid
  • uitmuntendheidthe quality of being excellent
  • voortreffelijkheidthe quality of being excellent
  • excellentiethe quality of being excellent
Esperanto brileco, bonegeco
  • brilecothe quality of being excellent
  • bonegecothe quality of being excellent
  • Moŝtotitle of honor or respect
Finnish erinomaisuus
  • erinomaisuusthe quality of being excellent
French excellence, Excellence
  • excellencethe quality of being excellent
  • Excellencetitle of honor or respect
German Vortrefflichkeit
  • Vortrefflichkeitthe quality of being excellent
Greek υπεροχή
  • υπεροχή (yperochí)the quality of being excellent
Hindi कमाल
  • कमाल (kamāl)the quality of being excellent
Irish feabhas
  • feabhasthe quality of being excellent
Italian eccellenza, Eccellenza
  • eccellenzathe quality of being excellent
  • Eccellenzatitle of honor or respect
Japanese 優秀さ
  • 優秀さ (yūshū-sa)the quality of being excellent
Latin excellentia
  • excellentiathe quality of being excellent
Latvian izcilība
  • izcilībathe quality of being excellent
Māori panekiretanga, hiranga
  • panekiretangathe quality of being excellent
  • hirangathe quality of being excellent
  • huhuatangathe quality of being excellent
Polish świetność
  • świetnośćthe quality of being excellent
Portuguese excelência
  • excelênciathe quality of being excellent
Romanian Excelență
  • Excelențătitle of honor or respect
Russian превосхо́дство
  • превосхо́дство (prevosxódstvo)the quality of being excellent
Slovak Excelencia
  • Excelenciatitle of honor or respect
Spanish excelencia, prestancia
  • excelenciathe quality of being excellent
  • prestanciathe quality of being excellent
Tamil சிறப்பு, மேன்மை
  • சிறப்பு (ciṟappu)the quality of being excellent
  • மேன்மை (mēṉmai)the quality of being excellent
Cite this entry
APA

excellence. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/excellence

MLA

“excellence.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/excellence. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “excellence,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/excellence.

Source: excellence on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.