Excellence vs. Excellent: What's the Difference?
Edited by Aimie Carlson || By Janet White || Updated on September 17, 2023
Excellence is a noun referring to the quality of being outstanding or extremely good. Excellent is an adjective used to describe something that is superior or very good.
Key Differences
Excellence refers to the state or condition of being superior, outstanding, or highly admirable in some way. The term can be used in multiple contexts—academic, professional, artistic—to denote a high level of achievement or quality. Excellent, on the other hand, is an adjective that describes something or someone as being of exceptional quality. For instance, an "excellent performance" implies that the performance was of high quality.
The grammatical roles of excellence and excellent are quite clear. Excellence serves as a noun, and therefore, can be the subject or object in a sentence. For example, "The excellence of the painting captivated everyone." Excellent is an adjective and is used to modify nouns. For example, "She gave an excellent presentation." Thus, while excellence is a state or quality, excellent is a descriptor.
Excellence implies a sustained, consistent quality that stands out. For instance, if someone is said to have "academic excellence," it suggests that they have demonstrated high performance over a period. Excellent describes individual instances or objects as superior, but does not necessarily imply sustained quality. You might say a movie was excellent but saying it has excellence implies a broader recognition.
In sum, excellence serves to encapsulate an ongoing, lofty standard or quality in various fields or endeavors. It's a term that is often used more formally and may involve a sort of certification or recognition. Excellent, conversely, can be used more casually to describe anything that is superior, from a meal to a performance.
Comparison Chart
Part of Speech
Noun
Adjective
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Implies Duration
Often implies a sustained quality
Describes individual instances
Formality
More formal
Can be more casual
Grammatical Role
Subject or object in a sentence
Modifies a noun
Context
Academic, professional, artistic
Broad, can describe anything superior
Excellence and Excellent Definitions
Excellence
The quality of being outstanding.
The excellence of her work was recognized with an award.
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Excellent
Surpassing others in some way.
He is an excellent swimmer.
Excellence
Consistently exceptional performance.
The team showed excellence throughout the season.
Excellent
Being of high quality.
She wrote an excellent essay.
Excellence
High level of skill or talent.
Her excellence in singing is known throughout the town.
Excellent
Highly commendable.
Your grades are excellent.
Excellence
The state, quality, or condition of excelling; superiority.
Excellent
Very good of its kind.
The restaurant has excellent service.
Excellence
Something in which one excels.
Excellent
Of the highest or finest quality; exceptionally good for its kind
Enjoyed an excellent meal at the restaurant.
Excellence
Excellence Excellency.
Excellent
(Archaic) Being so to an extreme degree.
Excellence
The quality of being excellent; brilliance
John Davies was awarded for excellence in the field of computer security.
Excellent
Having excelled, having surpassed.
Excellence
Something in which one excels.
Excellent
Of higher or the highest quality; splendid.
Excellence
An excellent or valuable quality; something at which any someone excels; a virtue.
Excellent
Exceptionally good of its kind.
Excellence
The quality of being excellent; state of possessing good qualities in an eminent degree; exalted merit; superiority in virtue.
Consider first that greatOr bright infers not excellence.
Excellent
Superior in kind or degree, irrespective of moral quality.
Excellence
An excellent or valuable quality; that by which any one excels or is eminent; a virtue.
With every excellence refined.
Excellent
(obsolete) Excellently.
Excellence
A title of honor or respect; - more common in the form excellency.
I do greet your excellenceWith letters of commission from the king.
Excellent
Excelling; surpassing others in some good quality or the sum of qualities; of great worth; eminent, in a good sense; superior; as, an excellent man, artist, citizen, husband, discourse, book, song, etc.; excellent breeding, principles, aims, action.
To love . . . What I see excellent in good or fair.
Excellence
The quality of excelling; possessing good qualities in high degree
Excellent
Superior in kind or degree, irrespective of moral quality; - used with words of a bad significance.
Their sorrows are most excellent.
Excellence
Something in which something or some one excels;
The use of herbs is one of the excellences of French cuisine
Excellent
Excellently; eminently; exceedingly.
Excellence
Superiority in a particular field.
He has achieved excellence in academics.
Excellent
Of the highest quality;
Made an excellent speech
The school has excellent teachers
A first-class mind
Excellence
An eminent feature or attribute.
The excellence of the diamond was in its flawless cut.
Excellent
Superior in some quality or action.
She has excellent problem-solving skills.
FAQs
What part of speech is excellent?
Excellent is an adjective.
Is excellent used for individual instances?
Yes, it describes individual instances as being of high quality.
Can excellence be used casually?
It is generally used more formally.
What part of speech is excellence?
Excellence is a noun.
Does excellence imply duration?
Yes, it often implies sustained or consistent quality.
Is excellence a subjective term?
It can be, but it often involves some recognized standard.
Does excellent imply expertise?
No, it merely describes the quality as superior.
Can an object possess excellence?
Yes, objects like art, devices, etc., can possess excellence.
Can excellent be used formally?
Yes, but it's also suitable for casual contexts.
Does excellence imply expertise?
Often yes, especially in a specialized field.
Can a person embody excellence?
Yes, a person can embody excellence in different aspects.
Can an object be described as excellent?
Yes, any object of high quality can be described as excellent.
Can a person be described as excellent?
Yes, you can describe a person as excellent in specific qualities or skills.
Is excellent a subjective term?
It is generally subjective, based on personal judgment.
Is excellence always recognized formally?
Not always, but it often involves some form of recognition or certification.
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Aimie CarlsonAimie Carlson, holding a master's degree in English literature, is a fervent English language enthusiast. She lends her writing talents to Difference Wiki, a prominent website that specializes in comparisons, offering readers insightful analyses that both captivate and inform.
