ex·cel·lence  [ek-suh-luhns]  Show IPA

noun
1.the fact or state of excelling; superiority; eminence: his excellence in mathematics.
2.an excellent quality or feature: Use of herbs is one of the excellences of French cuisine.
3.( usually initial capital letter  ) excellency (  def 1 ) .

Origin:

1350–1400; Middle English  < Middle French  < Latin excellentia.  See excel, -ence



Related forms

su·per·ex·cel·lence, noun



Synonyms
1. preeminence, transcendence, distinction. 2. merit, virtue.



Antonyms
2. inferiority.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.



World English Dictionary



excellence  (ˈɛksələns)

— n
1. the state or quality of excelling or being exceptionally good; extreme merit; superiority
2. an action, characteristic, feature, etc, in which a person excels

Excellency or Excellence  (ˈɛksələnsɪ)

— n  (usually preceded by Your, His, or  Her ) , pl -lencies , -lences
1. a title used to address or refer to a high-ranking official, such as an ambassador or governor
2. RC Church  a title of bishops and archbishops in many non-English-speaking countries

Excellence or Excellence

— n



Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
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Word Origin & History



​excellence
late 14c., from Fr. excellence, from L. excellentia, from excellentem (see excellent).


Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper