# prodigy

/ˈpɹɑdədʒi/ (US) · /pɹˈɒdɪdʒi/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/prodigy
Updated: 2026-05-07

## Definition

a young person who has a natural, amazing talent for something like music or math. They are much better at their skill than most adults.

For teachers: a person, especially a child or young person, having extraordinary talent or ability. Often used to describe mastery of a complex field at an early age.

## Examples

- The young piano prodigy played a difficult concerto perfectly.
- By the age of ten, the chess prodigy was already competing against international grandmasters and winning.
- While many children show early promise, a true prodigy demonstrates a level of technical proficiency and creative maturity that typically takes decades of professional practice to achieve.

## Usage notes

- Often paired with a specific field, such as 'musical prodigy' or 'mathematical prodigy'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.