Word
excellency
Phoneticsex·cel·len·cy
US/ˈɛkˈsɫɛnsi/
UK/ˈɛksələnsi/
Definition
n. the state of being extremely good or of very high quality.
n. The quality or state of being excellent; a synonym for excellence now largely replaced by the latter in modern usage.
Examples
“Your Excellency, the guests have arrived for the dinner.”
“The protocol officer reminded the staff to address the visiting ambassador as 'His Excellency' during the formal reception.”
“While the term is often reserved for diplomatic circles, certain ecclesiastical and governmental traditions maintain the use of 'Excellency' to denote the high status of the office holder.”
Examples
simple
“Your Excellency, the guests have arrived for the dinner.”
contextual
“The protocol officer reminded the staff to address the visiting ambassador as 'His Excellency' during the formal reception.”
complex
“While the term is often reserved for diplomatic circles, certain ecclesiastical and governmental traditions maintain the use of 'Excellency' to denote the high status of the office holder.”
Teaching tip
In modern English, 'excellence' is the standard term; 'excellency' in this sense is found almost exclusively in historical or religious texts.
Real-World Examples
“UN Photo Her Excellency Judith Suminwa Tuluka, Prime Minister for the Democratic Republic of Congo addresses the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.” Synonyms
Antonyms
Word family
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/excellency