Someone or something that is famous is very well known.
New Orleans is famous for its cuisine. [+ for]
...England's most famous landscape artist, John Constable.
Synonyms: well-known, celebrated, acclaimed, notable More Synonyms of famous
famous in British English
(ˈfeɪməs)
adjective
1.
known to or recognized by many people; renowned
2. informal
excellent; splendid
3. archaic
of ill repute
Derived forms
famousness (ˈfamousness)
noun
Word origin
C14: from Latin fāmōsus; see fame
famous in American English
(ˈfeɪməs)
adjective
1.
much talked about; having fame, or celebrity; renowned
2. Informal
excellent; very good; first-rate
3. Archaic
notorious
SYNONYMY NOTE: famous is applied to persons or things that have received wide public attention and aregenerally known and talked about; , renowned suggests a being named publicly again and again as for some outstanding quality,achievement, etc.; , celebrated is applied to persons or things that have received much public honor or praise; , noted implies a being brought to the wide notice of the public for some particular quality;, notorious, in current usage, suggests a being widely but unfavorably known or talked about;, distinguished implies a being noted as superior in its class or of its kind; , eminent more strongly stresses the conspicuous superiority of persons or things; , illustrious suggests a reputation based on brilliance of achievement or splendidness of character
OPPOSITES: obscure, unknown
Word origin
ME < L famosus < fama: see fame
More idioms containing
famous
famous last words
Examples of 'famous' in a sentence
famous
That was where you would expect to see famous names who were worried about exposure.
The Sun (2016)
It was the first of many famous parties.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
There are now more famous people than there are nurses.
The Sun (2016)
But can you work out the famous faces from these simple photo clues and captions?
The Sun (2017)
The rich and famous can get away with heavily inked bodies.
The Sun (2016)
When it comes to aesthetics, who better to study than famous artists?
Smithsonian Mag (2017)
THE works of famous artists show early signs of their brain disease, a study has discovered.
The Sun (2016)
This is a famous place, where no one is really from Washington.
Smithsonian Mag (2017)
That famous victory put Exeter on the way to the quarter-finals.
The Sun (2016)
Your new love has a famous name.
The Sun (2008)
World leaders and famous people come and go.
Christianity Today (2000)
The traverse east to west across the island is a pilgrimage that many famous geologists have made.
Richard Fortey THE EARTH: An Intimate History (2004)
Who is your most famous celebrity fan?
The Sun (2013)
Who is the most famous graffiti artist at the moment?
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
So why not join these famous faces and let your lighter side out?
The Sun (2013)
Luck takes you to a place with a famous history.
The Sun (2011)
People used to be famous for something.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Once we aspired to be rich and famous.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
New love has a famous family name.
The Sun (2011)
Which four famous people make up this face?
The Sun (2014)
He flew in many of the famous campaigns of the war.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
He is the most famous celebrity in the world.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
This artist was famous for his long curls and clipped beard.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Who is the most famous person you have cooked for?
The Sun (2014)
Lampedusa is famous as the place where stories finish.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Also think about if you want a famous brand or something a bit less well known.
The Sun (2011)
In the same year a number of highly famous and rich young men formed a trade union.
John Foot Calcio: A History of Italian Football (2006)
F1 is set to lose much more than just famous names.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Have you got many famous numbers saved in your phone?
The Sun (2015)
Photographers lurk, waiting for a famous face.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Within seconds, the celebrity and his famous partner were named across social media.
The Sun (2016)
Any chance of a famous cup victory, though, was snuffed out two minutes from time.
The Sun (2015)
In other languages
famous
British English: famous /ˈfeɪməs/ ADJECTIVE
Someone or something that is famous is very well known.
...the country's most famous artist.
American English: famous
Arabic: مَشْهُور
Brazilian Portuguese: famoso
Chinese: 著名的
Croatian: slavan
Czech: proslulý
Danish: berømt
Dutch: beroemd
European Spanish: famoso
Finnish: kuuluisa
French: célèbre
German: berühmt
Greek: διάσημος
Italian: famoso
Japanese: 有名な
Korean: 유명한
Norwegian: berømt
Polish: sławny
European Portuguese: famoso
Romanian: faimos
Russian: известный
Latin American Spanish: famoso
Swedish: känd
Thai: มีชื่อเสียง
Turkish: ünlü
Ukrainian: знаменитий
Vietnamese: nổi tiếng
Chinese translation of 'famous'
famous
(ˈfeɪməs)
adj
著名的 (zhùmíng de)
to be famous for sth因某事而闻(聞)名 (yīn mǒushì ér wénmíng)
famous 的人或事物比 well-known 的人或事物更出名。notorious 的人或事物是因不好的名声而出名，即臭名昭著。infamous 不是 famous 的反义词，词义和 notorious 相近，但语气更强。notable 的人或事物是重要的或让人感兴趣的人或事物。
(adjective)
Definition
known to or recognized by many people
England's most famous landscape artist, John Constable
Synonyms
well-known
He liked to surround himself with attractive or well-known people.
celebrated
He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.
acclaimed
She has published six highly acclaimed novels.
notable
the notable occultist, Madame Blavatsky
noted
Chomsky's father was a noted Hebrew scholar.
The paper has never been noted for its foreign affairs coverage.
excellent
We complimented him on doing an excellent job.
signal
honoured
remarkable
He was a remarkable man.
distinguished
a distinguished academic family
prominent
a prominent member of the Law Society
glorious
He had a glorious career spanning more than six decades.