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Webster 1913 Edition


Preeminence

Pre-ëm′i-nence

,
Noun.
[F.
prééminence
, L.
praeeminentia
. See
Preëminent
.]
The quality or state of being preëminent; superiority in prominence or in excellence; distinction above others in quality, rank, etc.; rarely, in a bad sense, superiority or notoriety in evil;
as,
preëminence
in honor
.
The
preëminence
of Christianity to any other religious scheme.
Addison.
Painful
preëminence
! yourself to view
Above life’s weakness, and its comforts too.
Pope.
Beneath the forehead's walled
preëminence
.
Lowell.

Definition 2024


preeminence

preeminence

English

Alternative forms

Noun

preeminence (countable and uncountable, plural preeminences)

  1. The status of being preeminent, dominant or ascendant.
  2. High importance; superiority.
    • 2012 January 1, Philip E. Mirowski, “Harms to Health from the Pursuit of Profits”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 1, page 87:
      In an era when political leaders promise deliverance from decline through America’s purported preeminence in scientific research, the news that science is in deep trouble in the United States has been as unwelcome as a diagnosis of leukemia following the loss of health insurance.