different between prodigy vs masterpiece

English

Etymology

From Middle English prodige (“portent”), from Latin pr?digium (“omen, portent, prophetic sign”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?p??d?d?i/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?p??d?d?i/
• Hyphenation: prod?i?gy

Noun

prodigy (plural prodigies)

1. (now rare) An extraordinary thing seen as an omen; a portent. [from 15th c.]
   • 1971, Keith Thomas, Religion and the Decline of Magic, Folio Society 2012, p. 87:

     John Foxe believed that special prodigies had heralded the Reformation.
2. An extraordinary occurrence or creature; an anomaly, especially a monster; a freak. [from 16th c.]
3. An amazing or marvellous thing; a wonder. [from 17th c.]
4. A wonderful example of something. [from 17th c.]
5. An extremely talented person, especially a child. [from 17th c.]

Synonyms

• (extremely talented person): wunderkind, girl wonder, girl-genius, boy-genius, boy wonder, child prodigy.

Related terms

Translations

See also

• precocious
• prodigal
• child prodigy
• prodigy house

Further reading

• prodigy in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• prodigy in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• prodigy at OneLook Dictionary Search

English

Alternative forms

• master-piece (obsolete)

Etymology

master +? piece, a calque of Dutch meesterstuk.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?mæst??pis/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?m??st??pi?s/

Noun

masterpiece (plural masterpieces)

1. A piece of work that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career.
   • 1911, Saki, The Chronicles of Clovis

     The design, when finally developed, was a slight disappointment to Monsieur Deplis, who had suspected Icarus of being a fortress taken by Wallenstein in the Thirty Years' War, but he was more than satisfied with the execution of the work, which was acclaimed by all who had the privilege of seeing it as Pincini's masterpiece.

2. A work of outstanding creativity, skill or workmanship.
3. A work created in order to qualify as a master craftsman and member of a guild.

Synonyms

• chef d'œuvre
• masterwork

Related terms

• mistresspiece

Translations