prodigy
(ˈprɒdɪdʒɪ)
[ad. L. prōdigi-um, f. prōd-, early form of prō, pro-1, retained before a vowel + (?) prim.L. *agiom a thing said: cf. L. āio I affirm, also adagium adage.]
1. Something extraordinary from which omens are drawn; an omen, a portent. Now rare.
| 1494 Fabyan Chron. vii. ccxxv. 252 Many wonderfull prodygyes & tokyns were shewed in Englonde, as y⊇ swellyng or rysyng of the water of Thamys. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 285 A prodigie [printed perdigie] of the Sunne. 1610 Holland Camden's Brit. (1637) 448 This slaughter was foretold by many Prodigies. a 1658 Cleveland Rustick Ramp. Wks. (1687) 478 The Insolency of injust Men is a Prodigy of their Ruin. 1741 Middleton Cicero II. xii. 553 The province of interpreting prodigies, and inspecting the entrails, belonged to the Haruspices. 1758 Johnson Idler No. 11 ¶8 Omens and prodigies have lost their terrors. a 1816 Joyce Sci. Dial., Astron. xxiv, Were not comets formerly dreaded, as awful prodigies intended to alarm the world? 1882 Farrar Early Chr. I. 73 The air was full of prodigies. There were terrible storms; the plague wrought fearful ravages. |
2. An amazing or marvellous thing; esp. something out of the ordinary course of nature; something abnormal or monstrous.
| 1626 Middleton Women Beware Wom. iv. ii. 61 He's a villain As monstrous as a prodigy and as dreadful. 1653 Gataker Vind. Annot. Jer. 52 What is a prodigie, but some thing that comes to passe besides, beyond, above, or against the cours of nature? 1677 W. Harris Lemery's Chym. (1686) 154 Quicksilver is a prodigy among Metals. 1748 Anson's Voy. ii. vi. 189 A climate, where rain is considered as a prodigy, and is not seen in many years. 1852 C. M. Yonge Cameos (1877) I. xxviii. 236 Did not our innate generosity restrain us, I would confound him, and make him a prodigy to all the world! |
† b. Of a person: in bad sense, A monster. Obs.
| 1594 2nd Pt. Contention (1843) 130 Or where is that valiant Crookbackt prodegie? 1656 Petition to Chas. II in Clarendon Hist. Reb. xv. §113 That prodigy of nature, that opprobrium of mankind,..who now calls himself our Protector. |
3. Anything that causes wonder, astonishment, or surprise; a wonder, a marvel.
| [a 1638 Mede Wks. (1672) 757, I cannot but think it a prodigium that any man should think otherwise.] 1660 Sharrock Vegetables Ep. Ded., A multitude of monstrous untruths, and prodigies of lies. 1680 H. More Apocal. Apoc. 341 It is a most incredible prodigy..that he should so rashly reject what he had so devotionally received. 1722 Macky Journ. Eng. II. 30 It's a Prodigy, how so wise a People as the English can be gulled by such Pick-Pockets. 1874 H. R. Reynolds John Bapt. v. i. 303 The hand and breath of one Ecclesiastic is made to convey to another the power to perform invisible and undemonstrable prodigies. |
b. A wonderful example of (some quality).
| 1646 Evelyn Diary Apr.–June, Julius Cæsar Scaliger, that prodigie of learning. 1689–90 Temple Ess. Heroic Virt. Wks. 1731 I. 194 Alexander was a Prodigy of Valour. 1774 Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1776) V. 277 This bird, he asserts,..is a prodigy of understanding. 1844 W. Smith Dict. Gr. & Rom. Biog. (1867) III. 193/2 Pericles..performed prodigies of valour. 1867 M. E. Herbert Cradle L. iii. 104 The knights..by prodigies of valour, maintained their position. 1874 Deutsch Rem. 208 If Christianity is a prodigy of sanctity, Hellenism is a prodigy of beauty. |
c. A person endowed with some quality which excites wonder; esp. a child of precocious genius.
| 1658 Eveleyn Diary 27 Jan., Died my deare son Richard,..5 yeares and 3 days old onely, but at that tender age a prodigy for witt and understanding. 1794 Sheridan Duenna ii. i, Aye, but her beauty will affect you—she is, tho' I say it, who am her father, a very prodigy. 1824 W. Irving T. Trav. I. 204 The juvenile prodigy, the poetical youth, the great genius. 1831 D. E. Williams Life Sir T. Lawrence I. 51 This infant prodigy had excited so much attention that his likeness was taken, and engraved by Sherwin. a 1862 Buckle Civiliz. (1869) III. v. 453 Whose almost incredible achievements entitle them to be termed the prodigies of the human race. |
4. attrib. (chiefly appositive).
| 1889 Daily News 29 Jan. 6/6 The ‘prodigy’ season..began yesterday, when Master O― H― made his rentrée in London. 1891 Ibid. 8 Jan. 5/4 The deceased..made his début at the age of thirteen as a prodigy pianist. 1900 Ibid. 19 June 4/7 He was a ‘prodigy’ violinist at the age of eight. |