If you refer to someone as a paragon, you mean that they are perfect or have a lot of a good quality.
We don't expect candidates to be paragons of virtue. [+ of]
...a paragon of neatness, efficiency and reliability.
He was not a paragon. He would never be perfect.
Synonyms: model, standard, pattern, ideal More Synonyms of paragon
paragon in British English
(ˈpærəɡən)
noun
1.
a model of excellence; pattern
a paragon of virtue
2.
a size of printer's type, approximately equal to 20 point
verb(transitive)
3. archaic
a.
to equal or surpass
b.
to compare
c.
to regard as a paragon
Word origin
C16: via French from Old Italian paragone comparison, from Medieval Greek parakonē whetstone, from Greek parakonan to sharpen against, from para-1 + akonan to sharpen, from akonē whetstone
paragon in American English
(ˈpærəˌgɑn; ˈpærəgən)
noun
1.
a model or pattern of perfection or excellence
2.
a perfect diamond weighing a hundred carats or more
3.
a large, perfectly round pearl
verb transitive
4. OLD-FASHIONED, Poetic
a.
to put side by side; compare
b.
to be equal to; match
5. Obsolete
to surpass
Word origin
MFr (Fr parangon) < It paragone, a comparison, test, lit., touchstone < paragonare, to test, compare < Gr parakonan, to whet < para-, para-1 + akonē, whetstone: for IE base see acid
Examples of 'paragon' in a sentence
paragon
I wouldn't say we are some paragon of virtue when it comes to backing dictators.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
I wouldn't say we are some paragon of virtue when it comes to backing dictators.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
He must be a paragon of virtue.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Well, who is putting themselves up as a paragon of virtue to do that?
The Sun (2011)
The responsibility of playing this paragon of virtue had an effect on Waite.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
If any single Scala production after the war was the paragon of excellence, it was this one.
Susie Gilbert and Jay Shir A TALE OF FOUR HOUSES: Opera at Covent Garden, La Scala, Vienna and the Met since1945 (2003)
According to his father, he was a paragon of virtue who didn't drink or smoke or take drugs.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
In other languages
paragon
British English: paragon NOUN
If you refer to someone as a paragon, you mean that they are perfect or have a lot of a good quality.
We don't expect candidates to be paragons of virtue.
American English: paragon
Brazilian Portuguese: modelo
Chinese: 完人
European Spanish: modelo
French: parangon
German: Muster
Italian: modello
Japanese: 模範
Korean: 모범
European Portuguese: modelo
Latin American Spanish: modelo
(noun)
Definition
a model of perfection
She was a paragon of neatness and efficiency.He was not a paragon. He could never be perfect.
Synonyms
model
the Chinese model of economic reform
standard
systems that were by later standards absurdly primitive
pattern
the ideal pattern of a good society
ideal
the ideal of beauty in those days
criterion
Exam results shouldn't be the only criterion for your choice of school.
norm
Their actions departed from what she called the commonly accepted norms of behaviour.
jewel
masterpiece
prototype
He has built a prototype of a machine called the wave rotor.
the prototype aircraft
paradigm
He was the paradigm of the self-made man.
archetype
He is the archetype of the successful businessman.
epitome
The countess was the epitome of sophistication.
exemplar
They viewed their new building as an exemplar of taste.
apotheosis
quintessence
He was the quintessence of all Eva most deeply loathed.
nonesuch (archaic)
nonpareil
In league, if not international football, he remains the nonpareil.
best or greatest thing since sliced bread (informal)
cynosure
Additional synonyms
in the sense of archetype
Definition
an original model
He is the archetype of the successful businessman.
Synonyms
prime example,
standard,
model,
original,
pattern,
classic,
ideal,
norm,
form,
prototype,
paradigm,
exemplar
in the sense of criterion
Definition
a standard by which something can be judged or decided
Exam results shouldn't be the only criterion for your choice of school.
Synonyms
standard,
test,
rule,
measure,
principle,
proof,
par,
norm,
canon,
gauge,
yardstick,
touchstone,
bench mark
in the sense of epitome
Definition
a person or thing that is a typical example of a characteristic or class
The countess was the epitome of sophistication.
Synonyms
personification,
essence,
embodiment,
type,
representation,
norm,
archetype,
exemplar,
typical example,
quintessence
Nearby words of
paragon
paradise
paradox
paradoxical
paragon
paragraph
parallel
paralyse
Synonyms of 'paragon'
paragon
Explore 'paragon' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of exemplar
Definition
a person or thing to be copied
They viewed their new building as an exemplar of taste.
Synonyms
model,
example,
standard,
ideal,
criterion,
paradigm,
epitome,
paragon
in the sense of ideal
Definition
a conception of something that is perfect
the ideal of beauty in those days
Synonyms
model,
example,
criterion,
prototype,
paradigm,
archetype,
exemplar
in the sense of jewel
Definition
a person or thing regarded as precious or special
Synonyms
rarity,
find,
charm,
paragon,
collector's item,
humdinger (slang)
in the sense of nonpareil
Definition
a person or thing that is unsurpassed
In league, if not international football, he remains the nonpareil.
Synonyms
ideal,
best,
finest,
perfection,
paragon,
nonesuch (archaic),
ne plus ultra
in the sense of norm
Definition
a standard that is required or regarded as normal
Their actions departed from what she called the commonly accepted norms of behaviour.
Synonyms
standard,
rule,
model,
pattern,
mean,
type,
measure,
average,
par,
criterion,
benchmark,
yardstick
in the sense of paradigm
Definition
a model or example
He was the paradigm of the self-made man.
Synonyms
model,
example,
original,
pattern,
ideal,
norm,
prototype,
archetype,
exemplar
in the sense of pattern
Definition
a model worthy of imitation
the ideal pattern of a good society
Synonyms
model,
example,
standard,
original,
guide,
par,
criterion,
norm,
prototype,
paradigm,
archetype,
paragon,
exemplar,
cynosure
in the sense of prototype
Definition
a person or thing that serves as an example of a type
He has built a prototype of a machine called the wave rotor.the prototype aircraft
Synonyms
original,
model,
precedent,
first,
example,
standard,
paradigm,
archetype,
mock-up
in the sense of quintessence
Definition
the perfect representation of a quality or state
He was the quintessence of all Eva most deeply loathed.
Synonyms
epitome,
representation,
embodiment,
type,
essence,
archetype,
exemplar,
typical example,
personification
in the sense of standard
Definition
an accepted example of something against which others are judged or measured
systems that were by later standards absurdly primitive