prodige

Prodige is a French noun meaning prodigy, marvel, or phenomenon. It denotes a person with exceptional natural talent, often a child, as well as a remarkable achievement or event. The term derives from Latin prodigium, meaning omen or portent, and entered French via Old French.

In modern French, un prodige is someone of extraordinary ability, for example a young pianist who shows prodigious skill or an athlete who excels unusually early. The word can also describe astonishing feats or natural phenomena, used metaphorically: “un prodige de la nature.” The related adjective prodigieux (masculine) or prodigieuse (feminine) means prodigious or extraordinary, as in “une performance prodigieuse.”

Usage of prodige ranges from neutral description to laudatory praise. The term is not used as a common English loanword; the direct English equivalent is prodigy. In discussions of French culture, prodige may appear in translations or quoted phrases, but standard English usage generally preserves the term prodigy rather than prodige. See also: prodigy, prodigieux, prodigieuse.