prominent

SayPRO-mi-nuhnt/ˈpɹɑmɪnənt/UK/ˈpɹɒmɪnənt/

5 meanings of prominent

1
adjective
Very important and well known among other people.
Like the most famous player on a team: everyone knows their name.
She is a prominent scientist known all over the world.
His father was a prominent judge many years ago.
Similardistinguished, eminent, notable, remarkable, noteworthy
Oppositeunknown, obscure, minor, undistinguished
2
adjective
Easy to see or notice because of its size or place.
Like a big red mark on a white page: your eyes go straight to it.
The store put its best products in a prominent place near the door.
A prominent sign warned drivers about the sharp turn.
Similarconspicuous, eye-catching, noticeable, flashy
Oppositeinconspicuous, unobtrusive, obscure, hidden
3
adjective
Sticking out or pushing forward from a surface.
Like a nail that sticks out of a flat board.
He had a prominent chin and a wide smile.
The rock made a prominent bump on the smooth hillside.
Similaroutstanding, protuberant
Oppositeflat, sunken, receding
Note
4
nounhistoricalcountable
In Nazi camps, a prisoner given some power over other prisoners and rewarded with better treatment.
The prominent ordered the new arrivals to line up by the gate.
Other prisoners feared the prominent who controlled their food.
Note
5
nouncountable
A kind of moth with a small tuft sticking out on the inner edge of its wings.
Like a small flap of cloth poking out from a folded blanket.
A prominent rested on the bark with its wings folded tight.
We found a small prominent near the porch light last night.
Note

Practice

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Origin

From Latin prōminēns, meaning to jut out or stick forward, made from prō ("forward") plus mineō ("to project").