Word
prowess
Phoneticsprow·ess
US/ˈpɹaʊəs/
UK/pɹˈaʊɛs/
Definitions
01exceptional skill
n. great skill or ability in a particular activity or field.
n. extraordinary ability or proficiency in a specific area of expertise. Uncountable in this sense.
“The young athlete showed great prowess on the tennis court during the tournament.”
“Her academic prowess was evident from her ability to synthesise complex philosophical arguments into clear, persuasive essays.”
Formal
Usage
Often followed by the preposition 'in' or 'at' to specify the field of expertise.
Teaching tip
This is the most common modern use of the word. It is a high-level synonym for 'skill' used in professional or journalistic writing.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02bravery
n. great courage or bravery, especially when fighting in a war.
n. distinguished bravery or heroism, typically in a military or combat context.
“The stories told of the knight's prowess in battle against many enemies.”
“The historical accounts frequently highlight the commander's military prowess and his tactical brilliance during the siege.”
Literary · Formal
Teaching tip
This sense is increasingly rare in modern speech and is mostly found in historical novels or epic stories.
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“If you want to be wowed by technical prowess, I recommend taking a trip to see a couple of New York pole dancers, Donna Carnow and Gina Alm, in their Edinburgh fringe show Dusk/Night/Dawn.” “Trump’s top advisers, in this administration and his first one, have all been hawks on China, wary of their economic prowess.” Etymology
From Middle English prowesse, prouwesse, proues, prouesce, prouesse (“bravery in battle; act of bravery; excellence; nobility of character; intelligence”), from Old French proeche, proesce, proeësche (“goodness; excellence; bravery”), from Old French preu, prou, prouz, proz, pruz (“good; excellent; brave”). Compare English proud.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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englishreference.com/q/prowess