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excellence definition

ex·cel·lence (ek′sə ləns)

noun

  1. the fact or condition of excelling; superiority; surpassing goodness, merit, etc.
  2. something in which a person or thing excels; particular virtue
  3. excellency

Etymology: ME < OFr < L excellentia < prp. of excellere

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

excellence Synonyms

excellence

n.

superiority, worth, distinction; see perfection 3.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

excellence Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • reward: We actively promote good teaching practice and operate award schemes to reward excellence and innovation in teaching.

Preposition: in

  • teaching: Excellence in teaching is promoted through the annual Teaching Fellowship Scheme.

Adjective modifier

  • par: I will also concede that the furniture tossing was par excellence.

Modifies a noun

  • award: First amateur radio page to be awarded our excellence award!

Noun used with modifier

  • par: This is a sacred site par excellence, reportedly awash with strong earth energies.
excellence usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

excellence quotes

Human good turns out to be activity of soul exhibiting excellence, and if there is more than one sort of excellence, in accordance with the best and most complete.Foroneswallowdoesnot makea summer, nor does one day; and so too one day, or a short time, does not make a man blessed and happy.

-Aristotle

And he, who servilely creeps after sense, Is safe, but ne'er will reach an excellence.

-Dryden,John

One of those men who reach such an acute limited excellence at twenty-one that everything afterward savors of anti-climax.

-Fitzgerald, F(rancis) Scott Key

excellence quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"excellence." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 3 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/excellence>

APA Style

excellence. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 3rd, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/excellence

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