Excellence vs. Excellent

Edited by Huma Saeed || By Sawaira Riaz || 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
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.

Janet White
Sep 17, 2023
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.

Sawaira Riaz
Sep 17, 2023
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.

Sawaira Riaz
Sep 17, 2023
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.

Sawaira Riaz
Sep 17, 2023
Comparison Chart
Implies Duration
Often implies a sustained quality
Describes individual instances

Sawaira Riaz
Sep 17, 2023
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Excellence and Excellent Definitions
Excellence
The quality of being outstanding.
The excellence of her work was recognized with an award.

Aimie Carlson
Sep 17, 2023
Excellence
High level of skill or talent.
Her excellence in singing is known throughout the town.

Sawaira Riaz
Sep 17, 2023
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Excellence
Consistently exceptional performance.
The team showed excellence throughout the season.

Janet White
Sep 17, 2023
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Excellent
Of the highest or finest quality; exceptionally good for its kind
Enjoyed an excellent meal at the restaurant.

Sawaira Riaz
Nov 24, 2022
Excellence
The quality of being excellent; brilliance
John Davies was awarded for excellence in the field of computer security.

Sawaira Riaz
Nov 24, 2022
Excellence
An excellent or valuable quality; something at which any someone excels; a virtue.

Sawaira Riaz
Nov 24, 2022
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.

Sawaira Riaz
Nov 24, 2022
Excellence
An excellent or valuable quality; that by which any one excels or is eminent; a virtue.
With every excellence refined.

Sawaira Riaz
Nov 24, 2022
Excellence
A title of honor or respect; - more common in the form excellency.
I do greet your excellenceWith letters of commission from the king.

Sawaira Riaz
Nov 24, 2022
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.

Sawaira Riaz
Nov 24, 2022
Excellence
The quality of excelling; possessing good qualities in high degree

Sawaira Riaz
Nov 24, 2022
Excellent
Superior in kind or degree, irrespective of moral quality; - used with words of a bad significance.
Their sorrows are most excellent.

Sawaira Riaz
Nov 24, 2022
Excellence
Something in which something or some one excels;
The use of herbs is one of the excellences of French cuisine

Sawaira Riaz
Nov 24, 2022
Excellence
Superiority in a particular field.
He has achieved excellence in academics.

Janet White
Sep 17, 2023
Excellent
Of the highest quality;
Made an excellent speech
The school has excellent teachers
A first-class mind

Sawaira Riaz
Nov 24, 2022
Excellence
An eminent feature or attribute.
The excellence of the diamond was in its flawless cut.

Aimie Carlson
Sep 17, 2023
Excellent
Superior in some quality or action.
She has excellent problem-solving skills.

Harlon Moss
Sep 17, 2023
FAQs
Is excellent used for individual instances?
Yes, it describes individual instances as being of high quality.

Sawaira Riaz
Sep 17, 2023
Does excellence imply duration?
Yes, it often implies sustained or consistent quality.

Sawaira Riaz
Sep 17, 2023
Is excellence a subjective term?
It can be, but it often involves some recognized standard.

Aimie Carlson
Sep 17, 2023
Does excellent imply expertise?
No, it merely describes the quality as superior.

Harlon Moss
Sep 17, 2023
Can an object possess excellence?
Yes, objects like art, devices, etc., can possess excellence.

Aimie Carlson
Sep 17, 2023
Can excellent be used formally?
Yes, but it's also suitable for casual contexts.

Sawaira Riaz
Sep 17, 2023
Does excellence imply expertise?
Often yes, especially in a specialized field.

Janet White
Sep 17, 2023
Can a person embody excellence?
Yes, a person can embody excellence in different aspects.

Harlon Moss
Sep 17, 2023
Can an object be described as excellent?
Yes, any object of high quality can be described as excellent.

Samantha Walker
Sep 17, 2023
Can a person be described as excellent?
Yes, you can describe a person as excellent in specific qualities or skills.

Harlon Moss
Sep 17, 2023
Is excellent a subjective term?
It is generally subjective, based on personal judgment.

Sawaira Riaz
Sep 17, 2023
Is excellence always recognized formally?
Not always, but it often involves some form of recognition or certification.

Harlon Moss
Sep 17, 2023
About Author
Written by
Sawaira RiazSawaira is a dedicated content editor at difference.wiki, where she meticulously refines articles to ensure clarity and accuracy. With a keen eye for detail, she upholds the site's commitment to delivering insightful and precise content.

Edited by
Huma SaeedHuma is a renowned researcher acclaimed for her innovative work in Difference Wiki. Her dedication has led to key breakthroughs, establishing her prominence in academia. Her contributions continually inspire and guide her field.
