noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
/ˈɛk.sə.lən.si/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:EH1 K S L EH1 N S IY0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Qualifier: Her or Your
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Synonym of excellence; the quality of being excellent.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: excellence
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
an outstanding feature; something in which something or someone excels
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
a center of manufacturing excellence
the use of herbs is one of the excellencies of French cuisine
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: excellence
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: feature, characteristic
4
noun
Meaning 4
a title used to address dignitaries (such as ambassadors or governors); usually preceded by `Your' or `His' or `Her'
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
Your Excellency
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: important person, influential person, personage
History
Etymology
From Middle English excellencie, from Latin excellentia.
Across languages
Translations
40 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
سَعَادَة
(saʕāda)
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
Basque:
Txit
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
Catalan:
excel·lència
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
Chinese Mandarin:
閣下 /阁下
(géxià)
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
Danish:
excellence
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
Dutch:
excellentie
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
French:
Excellence
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
German:
Exzellenz
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
Greek:
Εξοχότατος
(Exochótatos)
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
Greek:
Εξοχοτάτη
(Exochotáti)
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
Haitian Creole:
Ekselans
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
Hindi:
महामान्य
(mahāmānya)
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
Icelandic:
Hr
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
Irish:
Soilse
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
Italian:
Eccellenza
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
Japanese:
閣下
(kakka)
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
Khmer:
ឯកឧត្តម
(aek utdɑm)
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
Khmer:
ឯកឧកញ៉ា
(aek oknyaa)
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
Korean:
각하
(gakha)
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
Macedonian:
све́тлост
(svétlost)
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
Macedonian:
екселе́нција
(ekseléncija)
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
Maltese:
eċċellenza
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
Norwegian:
eksellense
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
Persian:
عالیجناب
('âli-jenâb)
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
Persian:
اعلیحضرت
(a'lâ-hazrat)
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
Polish:
ekscelencja
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
Portuguese:
Excelência
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
Romanian:
Excelență
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
Russian:
превосходи́тельство
(prevosxodítelʹstvo)
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
Russian:
сия́тельство
(sijátelʹstvo)
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
Slovene:
ekscelenca
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
Spanish:
excelencia
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
Swahili:
mheshimiwa
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
Swahili:
mtukufu
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
Swedish:
excellens
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
Thai:
ใต้เท้า
(tai thao)
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
Turkish:
ekselans
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
Turkish:
ekselansları
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
Turkish:
majesteleri
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
Urdu:
مہامانی
(mahāmānya)
— Form of address for certain high officials or dignitaries
