prowess

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 23, 2026 is: prowess • PROW-us  • noun Prowess refers to someone’s great ability, skill, or talent for something specified, as in “the pop star's vocal prowess” or “a lawyer of great prowess.” // Already a proven virtuoso on guitar, she extends her considerable instrumental prowess to the piano throughout her new album as well. See the entry > Examples: “On another Friday ... I led a nature writing workshop at the library’s Fowler branch. ... I had everyone draw a map of a place they loved and populate their maps with landmarks. Then we all went around and shared our drawings. Inevitably (after first acknowledging our lack of artistic prowess) stories emerged. Walks with long-gone, beloved dogs. Times someone had been caught out in bad weather.” — Steve Edwards, Literary Hub, 4 Dec. 2025 Did you know? Prowess is a word with a lot to be proud of. Not only has it performed gallantly for the English language since the 13th century, but it has stayed relatively stalwart in hewing to its original meaning, which is quite an accomplishment. When prowess first joined the ranks of the lexicon, it could be used to refer to bravery, skill, and valor—especially those virtues as encountered in military contexts—or to individual acts of derring-do. The latter was usually used in the plural, as when people waxed rhapsodic about the “prowesses” of knights or some such. Today’s “extraordinary ability” meaning, which developed in the 17th century, tends to stick to the singular form, as when it’s used to describe those with intellectual prowess, or to someone known for their prowess as a fundraiser.