preeminent

Or pre-em·i·nent

[pree-em-uh-nuhnt]

adjective

1. eminent above or before others; superior; surpassing.

   He is preeminent in his profession.

   Synonyms: supreme, peerless, distinguished

Other Word Forms

• preeminently adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of preeminent¹

1400–50; late Middle English < Latin praeēminent- (stem of praeēminēns ), present participle of praeēminēre to project forward, be prominent. See pre-, eminent

Synonym Study

See dominant.

Example Sentences

In a career spanning 61 years, over 10,000 cartoons, 24 illustrated collections and one Pulitzer, Oliphant established himself as one of the world’s preeminent political cartoonists.

From Salon

The district, called The Battery, prefers the grand descriptor of “the South’s preeminent lifestyle destination.”

From Los Angeles Times

The top item on the homepage was the Fifth National Climate Assessment, which it described as “the preeminent source of authoritative information on the risks, impacts, and responses to climate change in the United States.”

From Los Angeles Times

Now, as the latest punishment meted out to the Trump administration’s preeminent academic scapegoat shows, it’s our own government posing the threat.

From Los Angeles Times

That’s what made Brady Corbet’s “Vox Lux” — which should be considered the preeminent examination of the contemporary pop star — so beguiling: It saw fame as a Faustian pact with the devil.

From Salon

Related Words

• distinguished 
• dominant 
• main 
• outstanding 
• peerless 
• predominant 
• renowned 
• transcendent 
• ultimate 

When To Use

What does preeminent mean?

Preeminent means extremely distinguished, outstanding, or superior to all (or the majority of) others.The word eminent means high in station, rank, or reputation. Someone who is considered eminent is usually both well-known and well-respected, especially within a particular field. Preeminent means extremely eminent—famed and respected above all or most.Eminent is often applied to scholars who are viewed as experts in their field, with preeminent being used to describe the most distinguished or respected ones—or perhaps one.The state of being preeminent is preeminence.Preeminent is sometimes spelled with a hyphen (pre-eminent), perhaps to make it easier to read.Example: He is the preeminent professor of this topic and his expertise is world-renowned.