A young person who has amazing and unusual talent or ability in something, such as music, math, or sports. It can also mean a remarkable or extraordinary thing.
From Latin *prodigium* meaning 'sign, omen, marvel'. It came into English through French, shifting from 'strange sign' to 'remarkable person'.
A prodigy was once a 'sign from the gods', something so unusual it felt supernatural. Today we use it mostly for kids, which quietly suggests that extreme talent is almost eerie. But behind every 'miracle child' there’s usually thousands of invisible hours of practice and support.
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