fa·mous

(fā′məs)

adj.

1. Well or widely known.

2. First-rate; excellent: had a famous time at the party.

[Middle English, from Anglo-Norman, from Latin fāmōsus, from fāma, fame; see bhā- in Indo-European roots.]

fa′mous·ness n.

Synonyms: famous, celebrated, eminent, famed, illustrious, notable, noted, preeminent, renowned
These adjectives mean widely known and esteemed: a famous actor; a celebrated musician; an eminent scholar; a famed scientist; an illustrious judge; a notable historian; a noted author; a preeminent archaeologist; a renowned painter.

Antonym: obscure

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

famous

(ˈfeɪməs)

adj

1. known to or recognized by many people; renowned

2. informal excellent; splendid

3. archaic of ill repute

[C14: from Latin fāmōsus; see fame]

ˈfamousness n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

fa•mous

(ˈfeɪ məs)

adj.

1. having a widespread reputation; renowned; celebrated.

2. first-rate; excellent.

[1350–1400; Middle English < Anglo-French < Latin fāmōsus. See fame, -ous]

fa′mous•ness, n.

syn: famous, celebrated, renowned, notorious refer to someone or something widely known. famous is the general word for a person or thing that receives wide public notice, usu. favorable: a famous lighthouse. celebrated refers to a famous person or thing that enjoys wide public praise or honor for merit, services, etc.: a celebrated poet. renowned usu. implies wider, greater, and more enduring fame and glory: a renowned hospital. notorious means widely known and discussed because of some bad or evil quality or action: a notorious criminal.

famous

– well-known – notorious – infamous

1. 'famous'

If someone or something is famous, very many people know about them.

Have you ever dreamed of becoming a famous writer?

...the world's most famous picture.

2. 'well-known'

Well-known has a similar meaning to famous. However, a well-known person or thing is usually known to fewer people or in a smaller area than a famous one.

...a club run by Paul Ross, a well-known Lakeland climber.

...his two well-known books on modern art.

Well-known can be spelled with or without a hyphen. You usually spell it with a hyphen in front of a noun and without a hyphen after a verb.

I took him to a well-known doctor in Harley Street.

The building became very well known.

3. 'notorious'

Someone or something that is notorious is well known for something that is bad or undesirable.

The area was notorious for murders.

...his notorious arrogance.

4. 'infamous'

People and things are described as infamous when they are well known because they are connected with wicked or cruel behaviour.

...the infamous serial killer known as 'the Boston Strangler'.

...the infamous shower scene from Psycho.

Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Adj.

famous - widely known and esteemed; "a famous actor"; "a celebrated musician"; "a famed scientist"; "an illustrious judge"; "a notable historian"; "a renowned painter"

celebrated, famed, far-famed, illustrious, noted, renowned, notable

known - apprehended with certainty; "a known quantity"; "the limits of the known world"; "a musician known throughout the world"; "a known criminal"

famous

adjective well-known, celebrated, acclaimed, notable, noted, excellent, signal, honoured, remarkable, distinguished, prominent, glorious, legendary, renowned, eminent, conspicuous, illustrious, much-publicized, lionized, far-famed England's most famous landscape artist, John Constable
forgotten, unknown, obscure, mediocre, unremarkable, undistinguished, unexceptional, uncelebrated

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

famous

adjective

1. Widely known and discussed:

famed, leading, notorious, popular, well-known.

2. Widely known and esteemed:

celebrated, distinguished, eminent, famed, great, illustrious, notable, noted, preeminent, prestigious, prominent, redoubtable, renowned.

Translations

مَشْهُورمَشْهور، شَهير

slavnýproslulý

berømt

berühmt bekannt

διάσημος

famoso célebre

kuuluisa

célèbre fameux glorieux illustre renommé

slavan

frægur

famoso noto applaudito celebre

有名な高名な名高い

유명한

знаменитый известный славный

slaven

känd

มีชื่อเสียง

ünlü

nổi tiếng

出名的著名的

famous

[ˈfeɪməs] ADJ → famoso, célebre (for por) (hum) → dichoso
famous last words! → ¡para qué habré dicho nada!, ¡me hubiera callado mejor! (LAm)

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

famous

[ˈfeɪməs] adj

(= well-known) [person, actor, writer, place, landmark, book, film] → célèbre
to be famous for sth [person, place] → être célèbre pour qch

(= excellent) a famous victory → une formidable victoire

famous

adj

→ berühmt (for durch, für); so when’s this famous party going to be? (iro) → und wann soll diese tolle Party stattfinden? (inf); famous last words! (inf) → man soll es nicht beschreien

(dated: = excellent) → famos (dated)

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

famous

[ˈfeɪməs] adj → famoso/a, celebre
famous last words! (fam, hum) → le ultime parole famose!

fame

(feim) noun

the quality of being well-known. Her novels brought her fame.

ˈfamous adjective

well-known (for good or worthy reasons). She is famous for her strength.

ˈfamously adverb

very well.

famous

→ مَشْهُور proslulý berømt berühmt διάσημος famoso kuuluisa célèbre slavan famoso 有名な 유명한 beroemd berømt sławny famoso известный känd มีชื่อเสียง ünlü nổi tiếng 著名的