fame

[feym] /feɪm/
noun
1.
widespread reputation, especially of a favorable character; renown; public eminence:
to seek fame as an opera singer.
2.
common estimation or opinion generally held of a person or thing; reputation.
verb (used with object), famed, faming.
3.
Archaic. to have or spread the renown of; to make famous.
Origin
1175-1225; Middle English < Anglo-French, Old French < Latin fāma talk, public opinion, repute, akin to fārī to speak
Related forms
fameless, adjective
outfame, verb (used with object), outfamed, outfaming.
self-fame, noun
Examples from the web for fame
  • Her fame came from her longevity and from her celebrity friends.
  • fame does, of course, have a powerful impact on the personal relationships of the celebrity.
  • If fame and cash are a writer's chief goals, then they are a good measure of accomplishment.
  • And he was the last to do so, which is fame of a sort.
  • Subjects were given a memory test known as the false fame paradigm, in which they were asked to recite a list of unfamiliar names.
  • Sub-irrigated containers finally have their moment of fame.
  • When celebrities get involved in politics, their fame often obfuscates the matter at hand.
  • Fraudulent practices have been on the rise, the unfortunate result of the endless greed to instant fame and status.
  • The incident was testimony to the inconstancy of fame.
  • It was portraiture that brought him fame and fortune, and it is portraiture for which he is remembered.
British Dictionary definitions for fame

fame

/feɪm/
noun
1.
the state of being widely known or recognized; renown; celebrity
2.
(archaic) rumour or public report
verb
3.
(transitive; now usually passive) to make known or famous; celebrate: he was famed for his ruthlessness
Derived Forms
famed, adjective
Word Origin
C13: from Latin fāma report; related to fārī to say
Word Origin and History for fame
n.

early 13c., "character attributed to someone;" late 13c., "celebrity, renown," from Old French fame "fame, reputation, renown, rumor," from Latin fama "talk, rumor, report, reputation," from PIE root *bha- (2) "to speak, tell, say" (cf. Sanskrit bhanati "speaks;" Latin fari "to say," fabula "narrative, account, tale, story;" Armenian ban, bay "word, term;" Old Church Slavonic bajati "to talk, tell;" Old English boian "to boast," ben "prayer, request;" Greek pheme "talk," phone "voice, sound," phanai "to speak;" Old Irish bann "law").

The goddess Fama was the personification of rumor in Roman mythology. The Latin derivative fabulare was the colloquial word for "speak, talk" since the time of Plautus, whence Spanish hablar.

I've always been afraid I was going to tap the world on the shoulder for 20 years, and when it finally turned around I was going to forget what I had to say. [Tom Waits, "Playboy" magazine interview, March, 1988]