Overview

Episode Title: Preeminent
Podcast: Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day
Date: January 30, 2026
Host: Peter Sokolowski

In this episode, Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day podcast dives into the meaning, etymology, and usage of the word preeminent. Host Peter Sokolowski explores how "preeminent" is used formally to describe someone or something that stands out as especially important, skillful, or successful compared to others. The episode also connects "preeminent" to related words and traces their origins back to Latin roots.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Definition and Usage

• Definition:

  • "Preeminent is an adjective. It's a formal word used to describe someone or something more important, skillful or successful than their counterparts or peers. It's used synonymously with the words outstanding and supreme."
    — Peter Sokolowski [00:16]

• Example Sentence:

  • “Here’s the word used in a sentence from Foreign Affairs: ‘In this warmly engaging intellectual biography, Viotti traces the life and ideas of Kenneth Waltz, a preeminent figure in post-World War II International Relations Scholarship.’”
    — Peter Sokolowski [00:36]

Exploration of Related Words

• Prominent & Eminence:

  • Sokolowski draws attention to the connection between "preeminent," "prominent," and "eminence” by noting similarities in their form and meaning.
    • "You very likely recognized two words that are closely related to preeminent—prominent and eminence. All three words are rooted to the Latin verb stem minere, which is taken to mean to stand out."
      — Peter Sokolowski [00:54]

• Etymological Roots:

  • The Latin root "minere" is explained as the basis for "preeminent" and its relatives. Sokolowski explains:
    • "Though there is no record of its use without a prefix..."

• Word Connection – Mount and Paramount:

  • The host segues into the word "mount" as another related term.
    • "Mount also deserves an honorable mention. It comes from the Latin mont or mons, meaning mountain, which is understood to share a common ancestor with minare."
    • "Mount leads us in turn to paramount, a word closely related in meaning to preeminent." — Peter Sokolowski [01:13]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Definition and Contextual Use:
  “Preeminent is an adjective. It's a formal word used to describe someone or something more important, skillful or successful than their counterparts or peers.”
  — Peter Sokolowski [00:16]

• Academic Example:
  “Viotti traces the life and ideas of Kenneth Waltz, a preeminent figure in post World War II International Relations Scholarship.”
  — Peter Sokolowski [00:39]

• Etymological Connection:
  “All three words are rooted to the Latin verb stem minere, which is taken to mean to stand out...”
  — Peter Sokolowski [00:57]

• Conceptual Link to Paramount:
  “Mount leads us in turn to paramount, a word closely related in meaning to preeminent.”
  — Peter Sokolowski [01:35]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:16 — Definition of "preeminent" with synonyms
• 00:36 — Usage in a published sentence
• 00:54 — Discussion of related words: prominent, eminence
• 01:13 — Etymological connections to "mount" and "paramount"

Summary

This episode gives listeners a concise yet rich exploration of “preeminent,” from its formal meaning and contextual uses to its Latin roots and association with related words like "prominent," "eminence," "mount," and "paramount." Peter Sokolowski’s approachable explanations illuminate the word's place in the English language while encouraging curiosity about linguistic connections.