Prodigious
/prəˈdɪdʒəs/
adjectiveC1
Definition
Prodigious describes something that is very big, powerful, or impressive beyond what is usual. It can refer to size, skill, talent, or an amount that is surprisingly large or strong.
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See It in Action
Very large or great in size or amount
- •The mountain was prodigious, towering over the valley.
- •She made a prodigious effort to finish the project on time.
- •The storm caused prodigious damage across the city.
Remarkably impressive or extraordinary (often about skill or talent)
- •The young pianist showed prodigious talent at an early age.
- •His prodigious memory helped him learn many languages quickly.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of 'prodigious' like 'big' (A1 word), but MUCH bigger and more impressive—like something that surprises you because it is so large or powerful
- ✓Picture a giant mountain or a huge crowd that fills a stadium—something you notice immediately because it is so big and amazing
- ✓It’s the feeling when you see a very talented musician playing music so well it makes you say 'Wow!'
- ✓Sounds like 'pro-DIDGE-ious' → imagine a large 'dodge' ball that is so big it fills the whole playground
- ✓Think of famous stories about prodigies—children with amazing skills or talents that seem beyond normal
- ✓NOT like 'big' (which can be normal size), 'prodigious' means very extreme or surprising in size or skill
- ✓NOT like 'ordinary' or 'small'—prodigious is always about something extraordinary or very large
Try Other Words
- •Enormous: very large in size or amount (Use when talking about physical size or quantity)
- •Remarkable: unusual and worthy of attention (Use when emphasizing talent or skill)
- •Immense: extremely large or great (Use when emphasizing size or amount)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: 'pro-' (forward, forth) + root related to 'dig' (learn, know) + '-ious' (adjective ending)
- •Etymology: From Latin 'prodigiosus,' meaning 'marvelous' or 'monstrous,' originally referring to something unnatural or wonderful
- •Historical development: Originally used to describe strange or wonderful things; now means something very large or impressive
- •Modern usage: Used to describe anything very big, powerful, or impressive, often in a positive way
Reflect & Connect
•Can something be prodigious but not good? How do we decide if big or powerful things are positive or negative?
•How does calling a talent or effort 'prodigious' change the way we think about that person’s abilities?
Fill in the blanks
1.The athlete’s prodigious strength allowed him to ___ weights that others could not lift.
2.A prodigious storm usually causes ___ damage and affects many people.
3.Unlike a small task, a prodigious effort requires a lot of ___ and time.
4.When someone has prodigious talent, they often ___ success at a young age.
5.The artist’s prodigious skill was ___ clear in every painting she made.
6.We use the word prodigious to describe things that are ___ large or impressive, not just normal size.
7.The prodigious amount of work she did made her ___ tired but proud.