paragon

• POS: Noun, Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: par=a=gon

CIDE DICTIONARY

paragon, n. [OF. paragon, F. parangon; cf. It. paragone, Sp. paragon, parangon; prob. fr. Gr. to rub against; para` beside + whetstone; cf. LGr. a polishing stone.].

•  A companion; a match; an equal.  Spenser.  [1913 Webster]

  "Philoclea, who indeed had no paragon but her sister."  [1913 Webster]
•  Emulation; rivalry; competition.  [1913 Webster]

  "Full many feats adventurous
  Performed, in paragon of proudest men."  [1913 Webster]
•  A model or pattern;  Udall.  [1913 Webster]

  "Man, . . . the paragon of animals !"  [1913 Webster]

  "The riches of sweet Mary's son,
  Boy-rabbi, Israel's paragon."  [1913 Webster]
•  A size of type between great primer and double pica. See the Note under Type.  [1913 Webster]

paragon, v. t. [Cf. OF. paragonner, F. parangonner.].

•  To compare; to parallel; to put in rivalry or emulation with.  Sir P. Sidney.  [1913 Webster]
•  To compare with; to equal; to rival.  Spenser.  [1913 Webster]

  "In arms anon to paragon the morn,
  The morn new rising."  [1913 Webster]
•  To serve as a model for; to surpass.  [1913 Webster]

  "He hath achieved a maid
  That paragons description and wild fame."  [1913 Webster]

paragon, v. i. 

 To be equal; to hold comparison.  [1913 Webster]
"Few or none could . . . paragon with her."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

paragon, n.
1 a a model of excellence. b a supremely excellent person or thing.
2 (foll. by of) a model (of virtue etc.).
3 a perfect diamond of 100 carats or more.

Etymology

obs. F f. It. paragone touchstone, f. med.Gk parakone whetstone

THESAURUS

paragon

A per se, Miss America, ace, acme, apotheosis, archetype, assimilate, bathing beauty, beau ideal, beaut, beauty, beauty contest winner, beauty queen, belle, best type, boss, bunny, champ, champion, charmer, chief, choice, chosen, classic, commander, compare, cover girl, crackerjack, cream, criterion, cynosure, dazzler, dean, dream, ego ideal, elect, elite, enchantress, epitome, exemplar, fat, flower, fugleman, gem, genius, good example, great beauty, head, hero, higher-up, ideal, jewel, knockout, lady fair, last word, laureate, leader, liken, looker, love, lovely, man of men, master, masterpiece, masterwork, match, mirror, model, nonesuch, nonpareil, optimum, parallel, pattern, pattern of perfection, peach, phoenix, pick, pinup, pinup girl, prime, principal, prize, prodigy, prototype, pussycat, queen, quintessence, raving beauty, reigning beauty, ruler, select, senior, sex kitten, shining example, slick chick, standard, star, stunner, superior, superlative, superman, superstar, the best, the best ever, the greatest, the most, the tops, the very best, top dog, tops, trump, ultimate, very model, virtuoso

ROGET THESAURUS

paragon

Perfection

N perfection, perfectness, indefectibility, impeccancy, impeccability, pink, beau ideal, phenix, paragon, pink of perfection, acme of perfection, ne plus ultra, summit, cygne noir, philosopher's stone, chrysolite, Koh-i-noor, model, standard, pattern, mirror, admirable Crichton, trump, very prince of, masterpiece, superexcellence, transcendence, perfect, faultless, indefective, indeficient, indefectible, immaculate, spotless, impeccable, free from imperfection, unblemished, uninjured, sound, sound as a roach, in perfect condition, scathless, intact, harmless, seaworthy, right as a trivet, in seipso totus teres atque rotundus, consummate, finished, best, model, standard, inimitable, unparagoned, unparalleled, superhuman, divine, beyond all praise, sans peur et sans reproche, to perfection, perfectly, ad unguem, clean, clean as a whistle, let us go on unto perfection, the perfection of art is to conceal art.

Repute

N repute, distinction, mark, name, figure, repute, reputation, good repute, high repute, note, notability, notoriety, eclat, the bubble reputation, vogue, celebrity, fame, famousness, renown, popularity, aura popularis, approbation, credit, succes d'estime, prestige, talk of the town, name to conjure with, glory, honor, luster, illustriousness, account, regard, respect, reputableness, respectability, good name, good report, fair name, dignity, stateliness, solemnity, grandeur, splendor, nobility, majesty, sublimity, rank, standing, brevet rank, precedence, pas, station, place, status, position, position in society, order, degree, baccalaureate, locus standi, caste, condition, greatness, eminence, height, importance, preeminence, supereminence, high mightiness, primacy, top of the ladder, top of the tree, elevation, ascent, superaltation, exaltation, dignification, aggrandizement, dedication, consecration, enthronement, canonization, celebration, enshrinement, glorification, hero, man of mark, great card, celebrity, worthy, lion, rara avis, notability, somebody, classman, man of rank, pillar of the state, pillar of the church, pillar of the community, chief, first fiddle, cynosure, mirror, flower, pink, pearl, paragon, choice and master spirits of the age, elite, star, sun, constellation, galaxy, ornament, honor, feather in one's cap, halo, aureole, nimbus, halo of glory, blaze of glory, blushing honors, laurels, memory, posthumous fame, niche in the temple of fame, immortality, immortal name, magni nominis umbra, distinguished, distingue, noted, of note, honored, popular, fashionable, in good odor in, favor, in high favor, reputable, respectable, creditable, remarkable, notable, notorious, celebrated, renowned, ion every one's mouth, talked of, famous, famed, far-famed, conspicuous, to the front, foremost, in the front rank, in the ascendant, imperishable, deathless, immortal, never fading, aere perennius, time honored, illustrious, glorious, splendid, brilliant, radiant, bright, full-blown, honorific, eminent, prominent, high, in the zenith, at the head of, at the top of the tree, peerless, of the first water, superior, supereminent, preeminent, great, dignified, proud, noble, honorable, worshipful, lordly, grand, stately, august, princely, imposing, solemn, transcendent, majestic, sacred, sublime, heaven- born, heroic, sans peur et sans reproche, sacrosanct, Int, hail!, all hail!, ave!, viva!, vive!, long life to!, banzai!, glory be to, honor be to?, one's name being in every mouth, one's name living for ever, sic itur ad astra, fama volat, aut Caesar aut nullus, not to know him argues oneself unknown, none but himself could be his parallel, palmam qui meruit ferat, above all Greek above all Roman fame, cineri gloria sera est, great is the glory for the strife is hard, honor virtutis praemium, immensum gloria calcar habet, the glory dies not and the grief is past, vivit post funera virtus.

Good Man

N good man, honest man, worthy, good woman, perfect lady, Madonna, model, paragon, good example, hero, heroine, demigod, seraph, angel, innocent, saint, benefactor, philanthropist, Aristides, noble liver, pattern, brick, trump, gem, jewel, good fellow, prince, diamond in the rough, rough diamond, ugly duckling, salt of the earth, one in ten thousand, one in a million, a gentleman and a scholar, pillar of society, pillar of the community, a man among men, si sic omnes!.