Words at Play : Words that Used to Mean Something Different
Original Definition:
of, relating to, or marked by illusion, conjuring, or trickery
Example:
"That strumpet, that inchantresse, ... has stolne faire Truths attire, Her crowne, her sweet songs, counterfets her voyce, And by prestigious tricks in sorcerie, Ha's raiz'd a base impostor like Truths father." – Thomas Dekker, The Whore of Babylon, 1607
About the Word:
Prestigious and prestige both come to English from the Latin word praestigiae, which meant 'conjuror's tricks.'
It's not so difficult to see the connection there when bearing in mind that the word prestidigitation ('sleight of hand') has largely retained its original meaning.
Prestigious did not come to convey renown until the beginning of the 20th century.
More Words at Play
