par excellence

Meaning

Adv

1. (not-comparable) Because or on account of one's excellence.
2. (not-comparable) Most excellently, variously intending
3. (not-comparable) Most excellently, variously intending

Adj

1. (not-comparable, postpositional) Most excellent, variously intending
2. (not-comparable, postpositional) Most excellent, variously intending

Synonyms

best

above all

expressly

finest

first and last

most outstanding

per se

plainly

preeminent

specifically

superior

surpassing

very

Translations

par excellence

par excellence

excellemment

bij uitstek

schlechthin

por excelência

κατεξοχήν

per eccellenza

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˌpɑːɹ ˌɛksəˈlɑːns/

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from French par excellence (“excellently, in an especially representative way; above all”), a calque of Latin per excellentiam, itself a calque of Ancient Greek κατ’ ἐξοχήν (kat’ exokhḗn).