excellent
UK[ˈeksələnt]US[ˈeksələnt]
adj
extremely good; of the highest quality
adj
used to show approval or pleasure
Morpheme Breakdown
ex
cell
ent
ex
out
cell
rise
ent
adjective suffix
Etymology
the word excellent originates from the latin verb excellere, meaning 'to rise, surpass, or be eminent,' which is itself a compound of ex- ('out, upward') and -cellere ('to rise'). this literal sense of 'rising out' or 'projecting above' others evolved metaphorically to signify superiority and distinction. entering english via old french in the 14th century, it retained this core idea of standing out from the ordinary. the modern abstract meaning of 'of the highest quality' directly flows from this ancient concept of elevation and preeminence.
Analysis
Structure: ex (out) + cell (rise) + ent (adjective suffix)
ex- (latin prefix, meaning 'out, upward'); cell (from latin root -cellere, meaning 'to rise, project'); -ent (latin suffix, forming adjectives meaning 'being in a state or condition').
Examples
she did an excellent job on the research project.
the food at the restaurant was truly excellent.
he received excellent grades throughout the semester.