excellencen.
/ˈɛksl̩(ə)ns/, U.S. /ˈɛksələns/ 1.
a. The state or fact of excelling; the possession chiefly of good qualities in an eminent or unusual degree; surpassing merit, skill, virtue, worth, etc.; dignity, eminence.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [noun]
goodnessOE
mund?c1250
daintethc1290
bountyc1300
daintyc1300
excellencec1384
virtuea1393
excellency?a1400
nobilitya1400
meritc1425
singularity?c1450
fineness1523
admirationa1533
rareness1545
rightness1561
rariety1566
rarity1566
excellentness1569
beautya1586
admirableness1607
primeness1611
gallantry1650
eximiety1656
optimity1656
altesse1660
unexceptionableness1669
excellingness1701
quality1803
sterlingness1815
stupendosity1828
goodliness1832
superbness1832
unexceptionability1837
sweetness and light1867
class1884
rortiness1885
rippingness1903
superstardom1928
motherfucker1977
awesomeness1998
c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) 2 Macc. vi. 23 And he bigan for to thenke the worthi excellence of age.
1413 J. Lydgate Pilgr. of Sowle (1483) iv. xxviii. 74 Lucifer and his felaushyp..delytynge them to..wondren vppon theyr owne excellence.
?1518 A. Barclay Fyfte Eglog sig. Avij All the chyldren..He set in honour, and rowme of excellence.
a1530 W. Bonde Pylgrimage of Perfeccyon (1531) iii. f. CCviiiv The sublimite or hye excellence of ye crosse of Chryst.
1590 E. Spenser Faerie Queene ii. xii. sig. Bb2v The mind of beastly man..Hath so soone forgot the excellence Of his creation.
1604 W. Shakespeare Hamlet v. ii. 107 + 29 You are not ignorant of what excellence Laertes is. View more context for this quotation
a1616 W. Shakespeare Henry V (1623) ii. ii. 110 Whatsoeuer cunning fiend it was That wrought vpon thee so preposterously, Hath got the voyce in hell for excellence . View more context for this quotation
a1680 S. Butler Genuine Remains (1759) I. 10 One..for his Excellence In height'ning Words and shad'wing Sense..Was magnify'd.
1726 Bp. J. Butler 15 Serm. xiii. 264 Superiour Excellence of any Kind..is the Object of Awe and Reverence to all Creatures.
1781 S. Johnson Pope in Pref. Wks. Eng. Poets VII. 179 Those..who attain any excellence, commonly spend life in one pursuit.
1833 N. Arnott Elements Physics (ed. 5) II. 167 The brightest examples have arisen of intellectual and moral excellence.
1856 J. A. Froude Hist. Eng. (1858) I. i. 49 That..most difficult condition of commercial excellence under which man should deal faithfully with his brother.
b. Phrases: †in excellence of = superior to (obsolete). by (an, way of) excellence; in early use translating Latin per, propter excellentiam, Greek κατ' ἐξοχήν, in later use = French par excellence: (so called) as being preëminently entitled to the designation given. Now rare. Cf. eminence n. 8c.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > surpassing excellence > [adverb]
sovereignlyc1340
excellentlyc1400
by (an, way of) excellencec1450
transcendingly1528
exquisitely1535
precellently?1567
divinely1582
par excellence1584
pre-eminently1590
superlatively1596
surpassing1598
by (way of) eminency1608
superexcellently1615
by (way of) eminence1621
transcendently1623
surpassingly1658
exquisitively1660
par eminence1823
heavenlike1832
transcendentally1870
c1450 (c1400) Sowdon of Babylon (1881) l. 17 While þat Rome was in excellence Of alle Realmes in dignite.
1613 Bp. J. Hall Holy Panegyrick 28 Attendance on his [sc. God's] ordinance (which by an excellence is tearmed his seruice).
a1704 T. Brown Ess. Satire Ancients in Wks. (1730) I. 18 Lucilius having..embellished it [sc. this poem], ought by way of excellence, to be esteemed the first author.
1822 T. L. Peacock Maid Marian ix. 124 Richard the First of England, the arch-crusader and anti-jacobin by excellence.
1839 H. Hallam Introd. Lit. Europe II. iii. 142 Cesalpin..was denominated by excellence, the philosopher.
1846 G. Grote Hist. Greece I. i. i. 55 In the mouth of an Athenian, Dêmêtêr and Persephonê were always The Mother and Daughter, by excellence.
2. † b. An excellent action; a kindness, favour. Obsolete.
a. That in which a person or thing excels; an excellent feature or quality.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [noun] > an excellence
greatnessc1384
excellencec1400
merita1586
eminency1602
eminence1609
excellencya1616
transcendiary1654
transcendenta1706
c1400 ( G. Chaucer Treat. Astrolabe (Cambr. Dd.3.53) (1872) ii. §26. 35 The excellence of the spere solide..shewyth Manifeste the diuerse assenciouns of signes in diuerse places.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Twelfth Night (1623) i. iii. 115 To. What is thy excellence in a galliard, knight? And. Faith, I can cut a caper. View more context for this quotation
1703 Locke in W. B. Scoones Four Cent. Eng. Lett. 142 The adoration due to your other excellences.
1752 S. Johnson Rambler No. 208. ⁋12 Some [papers] may be found, of which the highest excellence is harmless merriment.
1856 A. P. Stanley Sinai & Palestine (1858) viii. 325 The great excellence of the eastern table-land was..in pasture and in forest.
1876 J. H. Newman Hist. Sketches I. i. iv. 197 Civilized nations allow that foreigners have their specific excellences.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > behaviour > good behaviour > kindness > [noun] > act of kindness
goodOE
loveOE
estdedea1325
bounty1330
benefice1340
benefit1377
while1382
whileness1382
officec1384
excellencec1385
goodshipa1393
kindnessc1400
benevolencec1425
benignityc1534
obligement1611
obligation1618
friendlinessa1633
benevolenta1639
beneficence1654
amability1655
benefactiona1662
knight-service1675
kindliness1883
humanity1985
c1385 G. Chaucer Legend Good Women Ariadne. 2045 Yow that don me this excellence.
a. An excellent personality. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [noun] > excellent person
gemc1275
blooma1300
excellence1447
mirrorc1450
man of mena1470
treasure?1545
paragon1548
shining light1563
Apollo's swan?1592
man of wax1597
rara avis1607
Titan1611
choice spirita1616
excellency1725
inestimable1728
inimitable1751
cock of the walk1781
surpasser1805
shiner1810
swell1816
trump1819
tip-topper1822
star1829
beauty1832
soarer1895
trumph1895
pansy1899
Renaissance man1906
exemplum virtutis1914
museum piece1920
superman1925
flyer1930
pistol1935
all-star1949
1447 O. Bokenham Lyvys Seyntys (1835) Introd. 5 I diligence Do to plesyn the wurthy excellence Of thys holy maydyn.
1633 J. Ford Broken Heart iv. i. sig. H3v Y'are to render Account to that faire Excellence, the Princesse.
1722 E. Haywood Brit. Recluse 20 Blush not, fair Excellence!
1790 A. M. Johnson Monmouth II. 95 That sainted excellence fell under the repeated strokes of their bloody swords!
ΘΚΠ
society > society and the community > social class > nobility > title > title or form of address for persons of rank > [noun]
yea1225
my Lordc1300
seigniorc1330
squire1382
noblessec1390
lordship1394
grace1423
gentlenessc1425
magnificencec1425
noblenessc1425
greatness1473
worshipc1475
your mightinessa1500
excellency?1533
celsitude1535
altitude1543
Your Honour1551
sublimity1553
excellencea1592
captal1592
gentleperson1597
clemencya1600
gravity1618
grace1625
grandeur1632
eximiousness1648
professorship1656
prince1677
excellenceshipc1716
Graceship1804
seigniorship1823
valiancy1828
your seignorie1829
a1592 R. Greene Frier Bacon (1594) sig. G4v If it may please the ladie Ellinor, One day shall match your excellence and her.
1642 H. Slingsby Diary (1836) 91 To treat wth his excellence abt exchange of prisoners.
1670 G. Havers tr. G. Leti Il Cardinalismo di Santa Chiesa ii. iii. 184 The accident that happen'd betwixt his Excellences Servants, and the Corsi.
1712 R. Steele Spectator No. 497. ⁋2 He told his Excellence, That he [the speaker] had pretended..to be wiser than he really was.
1737 A. Pope Epist. of Horace ii. ii. 5 Next pleas'd his Excellence a Town to batter.
1796 C. Burney Mem. Life Metastasio I. 403 Being furnished with a letter from me to your excellence.
Derivatives
ˈexcellenceˌship n. Apparently an isolated use.
ΘΚΠ
society > society and the community > social class > nobility > title > title or form of address for persons of rank > [noun]
yea1225
my Lordc1300
seigniorc1330
squire1382
noblessec1390
lordship1394
grace1423
gentlenessc1425
magnificencec1425
noblenessc1425
greatness1473
worshipc1475
your mightinessa1500
excellency?1533
celsitude1535
altitude1543
Your Honour1551
sublimity1553
excellencea1592
captal1592
gentleperson1597
clemencya1600
gravity1618
grace1625
grandeur1632
eximiousness1648
professorship1656
prince1677
excellenceshipc1716
Graceship1804
seigniorship1823
valiancy1828
your seignorie1829
c1716 Lett. from Mist's Jrnl. (1722) I. 59 To his Excellenceship the Author of the Weekly Journal.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1894; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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