Home › Sociology & Social Anthropology › Social Stratification & Hierarchy › prestige

prestige

pres-TEEZH /presˈtiːʒ/

nounB2SATACTTOEFLIELTS

generalbusinessacademic

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

Prestige is subjective and relies on public perception, reputation, and social honor, rather than just raw wealth or physical power.

The story behind the word. In Latin, 'praestigiae' referred to a magician's illusions or sleight of hand. When the word entered French as 'prestige', it meant 'illusion' or 'glamour'. Over the centuries, the meaning shifted from a deceptive trick to the dazzling, blinding effect of high status and social honor.

Word relationships

reputation: Reputation can be positive or negative, whereas prestige is always positive, implying high status and honor.
status: Status is simply one's position in a hierarchy (which can be low), while prestige specifically refers to high standing and admiration.

disrepute: Disrepute is a state of being held in low esteem or bad reputation by the public.
insignificance: Insignificance is the quality of having no influence, importance, or social standing.

Commonly confused with

notoriety: Notoriety is fame for a bad deed or negative quality, whereas prestige is honor based on high quality or achievement.

Word family

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

Collocations

immense prestige
social prestige
prestige brand
gain prestige

Example sentences

"Winning the Nobel Prize brings immense prestige to both the scientist and their home university." Academic achievement
"Luxury car manufacturers rely on the prestige of their brand name to justify their premium prices." Brand marketing

Memory hook

Think of a magician performing a high-status trick at the climax of a show (the 'prestige' in the movie of the same name). The audience gasps in admiration and respect. Prestige: the magic trick of social status that dazzles everyone.

When not to use

Do not use when referring purely to financial net worth or physical dominance without any element of social respect or admiration.

Fun facts

In sociolinguistics, 'prestige dialects' are accents or language varieties associated with the ruling class, which others unconsciously mimic to appear higher-status.