Home › Leadership › Influence & Charisma › prestige

prestige

pres-TEEZH /presˈtiːʒ/

nounC1SATACTTOEFLIELTS

GeneralBusinessSociological

Widespread respect and admiration felt for someone or something on the basis of their achievements or quality.

Implies high status, reputation, and social standing that commands automatic respect.

The story behind the word. This word has one of the most surprising histories in English. In Latin, praestigiae meant 'juggler's tricks' or 'illusions.' For centuries, 'prestige' in French and English meant a deceptive trick or a magical illusion. It wasn't until the 19th century that the meaning shifted from 'dazzling people with tricks' to 'dazzling people with one's high reputation and achievements.'

Word relationships

reputation: Reputation is the general opinion about someone (good or bad), while prestige is specifically high, positive, and elite status.
status: Status is simply one's position in a hierarchy, whereas prestige is the respect and admiration attached to that position.

disrepute: Disrepute is the state of being held in low esteem or bad reputation.
insignificance: Insignificance is the state of being completely unimportant or lacking status.

Commonly confused with

notoriety: Notoriety is being famous for something bad; prestige is being respected for something excellent.

Word family

prestigious (adjective): Inspiring respect and admiration; having high status.

Collocations

high prestige
gain prestige
prestige school
loss of prestige

Example sentences

"The prestige of a degree from an Ivy League university can open many doors in the professional world." A discussion on the reputation of elite universities.

Memory hook

A magician performs a prestige (the final, dazzling trick in a magic show, as popularized by the movie The Prestige) to earn the audience's respect and admiration. Prestige is the dazzling magic of high status.

When not to use

Do not use for simple popularity or fame; prestige requires a foundation of high quality, achievement, or elite status.

Fun facts

In the 18th century, a 'prestigiator' was a street magician or juggler.
The shift from 'illusion' to 'reputation' happened because elite military units and institutions were seen as having a 'dazzling' effect on the public.