prestige, noun
1650s, "trick, illusion, imposture"
from Latin praestigium "delusion, illusion"
in the early 19th century, used in the sense of "an illusion as to one's personal merit or importance; a flattering illusion"
prestigious, adjective
1540s, "practicing illusion or magic, juggling; deluding, deceptive"
from Latin praestigious "full of tricks," from praestigiae "juggler's tricks"
Until the 19th century - a derogatory sense
1895 - marked as obsolete in the Century Dictionary
1913 - "having dazzling influence"
☣ Evidently, what used to be known as tricks, illusion, and imposture has become a commanding position in people's minds.
The primary usage of the word prestigious is a complete perversion of its original sense ("practicing illusion, deceptive, deluding").
~☉~ | lucid definition; added layer of lucidity, or aethereal context |
⚜ | classic definition |
☣ | artificium definition; usually words which have undergone a warped evolution, or a complete perversion of the original sense |