Origin: 1400–50; late ME
excellen < L
excellere, equiv. to
ex- ex- 1 +
-cellere to rise high, tower (akin to
celsus high)
Synonyms:
2. outstrip, eclipse, transcend, exceed, top, beat. Excel, outdo, surpass imply being better than others or being superior in achievement. To excel is to be superior in some quality, attainment, or performance: to excel opponents at playing chess. To outdo is to make more successful effort than others: to outdo competitors in the high jump. To surpass is to go beyond others, esp. in a contest as to quality or ability: to surpass one's classmates in knowledge of corporation law.
[ik-sel] 
verb, -celled, -cel⋅ling.