famous
- 01 A1 Beginner
known by many people in many places.
widely known, recognised, or celebrated by the general public.
Simple“The city is famous for its beautiful old bridge and delicious food.”
In context“The scientist became famous overnight after her groundbreaking discovery was published in a major international journal.”
UsageOften followed by the preposition 'for' to indicate the reason for the fame.
Teacher's tipLearners often confuse 'famous' with 'infamous'; remind them that 'infamous' means being known for something bad or shameful.
PitfallHe is a famous for his music. He is famous for his music.Do not use 'a' before 'famous' when it is used alone after a verb like 'is' or 'became'.
Synonyms - 02 C2 Proficiency
very good or excellent.
used as an intensifier to mean excellent or first-rate.
Simple“We had a famous dinner at that new Italian restaurant last night.”
In context“The explorer was in famous spirits after receiving news that the funding for his next expedition had been approved.”
Teacher's tipThis sense is rarely heard in modern conversation and is mostly found in older British literature.
famous vs infamous — Famous describes someone widely known for positive or neutral reasons, while infamous describes someone widely known for negative or shameful reasons.
From Middle English famous, from Anglo-Norman famous, from Latin fāmōsus, equivalent to fame + -ous. Displaced native Old English hlīsful.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.