prestigious

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   exerting influence by reason of high status or prestige

   a prestigious professor at a prestigious university

2. 2
   adj

   Of high prestige.

   She has a prestigious job with an international organization.

3. 3
   adj

   having an illustrious reputation

Etymology

Attested since the 1540s; Latin praestigiosus (“full of tricks”), praestigiae (“juggler's tricks”), possibly an alteration of praestringō (“to blindfold, to dazzle”), from prae- (“before”) with stringō (“to bind or tie”); equivalent to prestige + -ious. Unstressed /ɛ/ is retained by analogy with prestige.