phenom
noun/ˈfɛ.nəm/ · /ˈfiː.nɒm/
Etymology Clipping of phenomenon (“remarkable occurrence”). American English, c. 1890s.
1
Someone or something that is phenomenal, especially a promising young player in sports like baseball, American football, basketball, tennis, and golf.
- Managed and shortstopped by George Wright and full of league stalwarts—Joe Start, Paul Hines, and Jim O'rourke—they also had 1-year-old phenom Monte Ward as primary moundsman (teams now generally used multiple pitchers).2017, Brandon Isleib, Playing for a Winner, page 77:
- It is the first all-teen final since 1999 – when neither was born – which saw Serena Williams, 17, beat an 18-year-old Martina Hingis. Teen phenoms were relatively commonplace back then, especially on the women’s side, occasionally on the men’s.2021 September 11, Tim Lewis, “Focused, fearless, unflappable – the teenage stars taking sport by storm”, in The Observer, →ISSN:
1 more example
- Co-founder Peng Zhihui first rose to fame as a teenage social media phenom, gaining millions of followers by showcasing complex DIY tech projects, such as self-balancing robots, a miniature TV, and a self-driving bicycle.2025 December 11, Charlie Campbell, Andrew R. Chow and Billy Perrigo, “The Architects of AI Are TIME’s 2025 Person of the Year”, in Time:
2
One who is hip and fashionable.
- Jones is a pop-culture phenom whose bold antics, outlandish personality, and dazzling looks defied all norms.2013, Ytasha L. Womack, Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci-Fi and Fantasy Culture, →ISBN, page 105:
- Related terms
- child prodigy