famous
UK /ˈfeɪ.məs/ US /ˈfeɪ.məs/ Syllables: fa-mous
Quick answer
Known by a large number of people, often because of a particular achievement or quality.
Famous describes a person, place, or thing that very many people know about. A famous singer is known across a country, a famous bridge appears on postcards, and a famous book is read in many languages. Famous is mostly positive or neutral. If something is known for a bad reason, English uses infamous instead.
"The singer became famous after her first album sold millions of copies."Meanings
- Known by many people.
- Well known for a particular quality or thing.
Example sentences
-
"Paris is famous for the Eiffel Tower."
Level A2, Meaning 2
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"She wants to become a famous actress."
Level A2, Meaning 1
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"This is a famous painting by Van Gogh."
Level A2, Meaning 1
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"The town is famous for its cheese."
Level B1, Meaning 2
Synonyms and antonyms
Look-alikes and common mistakes
- infamous : Infamous means well known for something bad, such as a crime. Famous is used for good or neutral reasons.
Word family and forms
Word partners
Words and phrases that often go with "famous".
- a famous singer
- famous for
- world famous
- a famous painting
- rich and famous
- become famous
Idioms and phrases
- famous last words
- A joke said after someone makes a confident claim that then turns out to be wrong.
- "He said, "I will never be late," and I said, "famous last words.""
Origin
Famous comes from Anglo-Norman French and goes back to Latin famosus, which comes from fama, meaning talk, rumor, or reputation. The same Latin word gave us fame.
Checked against: Wiktionary, the free dictionary, Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Dictionary.com.
Usage notes
"Famous" is generally neutral or positive; "notorious" means famous for something bad.
How to remember it
Famous has "fame" inside it, and the ending -ous means full of: full of fame.
Test yourself
Which word fits the gap? "Paris is _____ for the Eiffel Tower."
Answer: famous
In your own words, what does "famous" mean?
Known by a large number of people, often because of a particular achievement or quality.
Learn next at A2
- farming The activity or business of growing crops and raising animals for food...
- fascinate To attract and hold someone's attention completely because something i...
- fascinated Feeling extremely interested in something, so that your attention is c...
- fashion The popular style of clothing at a particular time, or a particular wa...
- favorable Showing approval, or likely to produce a good result.
- fear An unpleasant feeling caused by the belief that something is dangerous...
Sources and credits
- Wiktionary, the free dictionary (CC BY-SA 4.0) · used for the origin, pronunciation · checked Oct 19, 2026
- Merriam-Webster Dictionary · used for the origin · checked Oct 19, 2026
- Dictionary.com · used for the origin · checked Oct 19, 2026
Last reviewed October 19, 2026. Report a mistake on this page