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Definition of preeminent - 3 dictionary results

pre⋅em⋅i⋅nent

  [pree-em-uh-nuhnt]
Use preeminent in a Sentence
–adjective
eminent above or before others; superior; surpassing: He is preeminent in his profession.
Also, pre-em⋅i⋅nent.

Origin:
1400–50; late ME < L praeēminent- (s. of praeēminēns), prp. of praeēminēre to project forward, be prominent. See pre-, eminent

Related forms:
pre⋅em⋅i⋅nent⋅ly, adverb

Synonyms:
distinguished, peerless, supreme. See dominant.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To preeminent
pre·em·i·nent or pre-em·i·nent   (prē-ěm'ə-nənt)   
adj.  Superior to or notable above all others; outstanding. See Synonyms at dominant, noted.

[Middle English, from Latin praeēminēns, present participle of praeēminēre, to excel : prae-, pre- + ēminēre, to stand out; see eminent.]
pre·em'i·nence n., pre·em'i·nent·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Preeminent

Pre*["e]m"i*nent\, a. [L. praeminens, -entis, p. pr. praeminere to be prominent, to surpass: cf. F. pr['e]['e]minent. See Pre-, and Eminent.] Eminent above others; prominent among those who are eminent; superior in excellence; surpassing, or taking precedence of, others; rarely, surpassing others in evil, or in bad qualities; as, pre["e]minent in guilt.

In goodness and in power pre["e]minent. --Milton.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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