a model or pattern of excellence or of a particular excellence: a paragon of virtue.
someone of exceptional merit: Just who is this paragon whose name is on everyone's lips?
Printing. a 20-point type.
an unusually large, round pearl.
verb (used with object)
Rare. to compare; parallel.
Archaic. to be a match for; rival.
Obsolete. to surpass.
Obsolete. to regard as a paragon.
Origin of paragon
First recorded in 1540–50; from Middle French paragon, parangon “model,” from Old Italian paragone “touchstone,” from paragonare “to compare, test on a touchstone,” from Greek parakonân “to sharpen, whet,” equivalent to para- “beside, alongside” + akonân “to sharpen, whet,” a derivative of akónē “whetstone, bone”
SYNONYMS FOR paragon
1 ideal, standard, epitome, quintessence; example, exemplar, paradigm.
EVThere are a few characters in the Disney canon, like Beauty and the Beast’s Gaston, who are seen as homoerotic paragons.
Toward a queer Disney canon|Emily VanDerWerff|September 4, 2020|Vox
Before I bid Kaufman farewell, I asked him how Yoda, a Jedi paragon, would take his advice about integrating the dark side.
Are You Yoda or Darth Vader? - Issue 89: The Dark Side|Brian Gallagher|August 26, 2020|Nautilus
The Ralph Retort, a paragon of ethical journalism websites, decided to make crowdsourcing stuff to discredit me into a project.
Rage Against GamerGate’s Hate Machine: What I Got For Speaking Up|Arthur Chu|November 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Paragon of virtue Oliver North called for charges to be filed against Warner Brothers Music.
A Brief History of the Phrase 'F*ck the Police'|Rich Goldstein|August 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
While Bacall seems like a paragon of cool confidence in the final product, she was a nervous wreck on set.
Bogie & Bacall: A Hollywood Romance for the Ages|Marlow Stern|August 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The man who holds ABC/ESPN's wacky goulash of World Cup punditry together strikes viewers as a paragon of congeniality.
World Cup Anchor Mike Tirico’s Bizarre History: Reports of Stalking and Sexual Harassment|Marlow Stern|July 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He was a paragon of masculinity—a tall, dark, and impossibly handsome enigma.
What's Happened to Don Draper? Why Everyone’s Favorite ‘Mad Men’ Stud Needs His Mojo Back|Lizzie Crocker|April 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Paragon stigma were protected from the influence of other pollen by bagging and gave a good set of fruits.
Northern Nut Growers Association Report of the Proceedings at the Eleventh Annual Meeting|Various
Of course she was on Reginald's side in the family quarrel, although she was the paid servant of the Foreign Office paragon.
The American Senator|Anthony Trollope
Before dinner that evening there were a few words between the Paragon and his grandmother.
The American Senator|Anthony Trollope
To think that disagreeable new neighbour of hers, must be a paragon of all the virtues!
Two Little Women|Carolyn Wells
I wish I knew the woman who wrote it; she must be a paragon.
Records of Later Life|Frances Ann Kemble
British Dictionary definitions for paragon
paragon
/ (ˈpærəɡən) /
noun
a model of excellence; patterna paragon of virtue
a size of printer's type, approximately equal to 20 point
verb(tr)
archaic
to equal or surpass
to compare
to regard as a paragon
Word Origin for paragon
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