Renown Meaning
/ɹɪˈnaʊn/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounFame; celebrity; wide recognition.
nounReports of nobleness or achievements; praise.
Sentence Examples
She has international renown as a painter.
She's a violinist of some renown.
If you wish to acquire renown, leave your bed early.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The author achieved great ____ with his bestselling novel about space exploration.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The chef had gained international ____ for her innovative approach to traditional regional cuisine.
Word Origin & History
From Old French renoun (compare with Modern French renom), equivalent to re- + noun.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"She is a theame of honour and renowne, / A ſpurre to valiant and magnanimous deeds, / Whoſe preſent courage may beate downe our foes, / And fame in time to come canonize us, […]"
— c. 1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Famous Historie of Troylus and Cresseid. […] (First Quarto), London: […] G[eorge] Eld for R[ichard] Bonian and H[enry] Walley, […], published 1609, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:
"And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown: […]"
— 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Numbers 16:2:
"[…] Nor envy we / Thy great Renown, nor grudge thy Victory; / 'Tis thine, O King, th' Afflicted to redreſs, / And Fame has fill'd the World with thy Succeſs; […]"
— 1700, [John] Dryden, “Palamon and Arcite: Or, The Knight’s Tale. In Three Books.”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, book I, page 3:
"There sleep the mighty dead as in life they slept, warriors and princes of high renown."
— 1922 February, James Joyce, “[Episode 12: The Cyclops]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company, […], →OCLC:
"[…] one day local fame would become world renown […]"
— 1985, Lawrence Durrell, chapter 3, in Quinx, New York: Viking, page 63:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The author achieved great ____ with his bestselling novel about space exploration.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The chef had gained international ____ for her innovative approach to traditional regional cuisine.