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Definition of prodigy - 5 dictionary results

prod⋅i⋅gy

  [prod-i-jee]
Use prodigy in a Sentence
–noun, plural -gies.
1. a person, esp. a child or young person, having extraordinary talent or ability: a musical prodigy.
2. a marvelous example (usually fol. by of).
3. something wonderful or marvelous; a wonder.
4. something abnormal or monstrous.
5. Archaic. something extraordinary regarded as of prophetic significance.
Origin:
1425–75; late ME prodige < L prōdigium prophetic sign
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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prod·i·gy   (prŏd'ə-jē)   
n.   pl. prod·i·gies

  1. A person with exceptional talents or powers: a math prodigy.

  2. An act or event so extraordinary or rare as to inspire wonder. See Synonyms at wonder.

  3. A portentous sign or event; an omen.


[Middle English prodige, portent, from Latin prōdigium.]
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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Word Origin & History

prodigy 
1494, "sign, portent, something extraordinary from which omens are drawn," from L. prodigium "sign, omen, portent, prodigy," from pro- "forth" + -igium, a suffix or word of unknown origin, perhaps from *agi-, root of aio "I say" (see adage). Meaning "child with exceptional abilities" first recorded 1658.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Computing Dictionary

Prodigy networking
A commercial on-line conferencing service, co-developed by IBM and Sears, Roebuck, Inc.
Prodigy's main competitors are AOL and Compuserve.
(1995-03-01)

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © 1993-2007 Denis Howe
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Encyclopedia

prodigy

a child who, by about age 10, performs at the level of a highly trained adult in a particular sphere of activity or knowledge. In this sense, neither high intelligence nor eccentric skills by themselves qualify a child as a prodigy. Rather, it is the capacity to perform in a recognized area of endeavour in such a way as to receive broad acclaim that defines the prodigy. Therefore, individuals who are chess prodigies or "lightning calculators" (those who have a remarkable memory for figures) but who are otherwise mentally or developmentally disabled (such as "idiot savants") are not prodigies.

Learn more about prodigy with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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