Excellent

Excellent - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

EX'CELLENT, a. Being of great virtue or worth; eminent or distinguished for what is amiable, valuable or laudable; as an excellent man or citizen; an excellent judge or magistrate.

1. Being of great value or use, applied to things; remarkable for good properties; as excellent timber; an excellent farm; an excellent horse; excellent fruit.

2. Distinguished for superior attainments; as an excellent artist.

3. Consummate; complete; in an ill sense.

Elizabeth was an excellent hypocrite.

ek'-se-lent 'addir, yattir (Aramaic); diaphoroteros, kratistos:

The translation of various Hebrew words, chiefly of 'addir, "great," "honorable" (Ps 8:1,9; 16:3; 76:4); yattir, "surpassing," is Aramaic, occurring in Da 2:31; 4:36; 5:12,14; 6:3. Other words are bachar, "to glow," "try," "choose" (So 5:15); ga'on, "mounting," "swelling" (Isa 4:2; see EXCELLENCY); gadhal, "to make or become great" (Isa 28:29), and other words occurring singly.

In the New Testament we have diaphoroteros, "greater," "better" (Heb 1:4; 8:6); kratistos, "most excellent," "most noble" (Lu 1:3; Ac 23:26); ta diapheronta, "things that differ," "are preeminent" (Ro 2:18; Php 1:10); megaloprepes, "becoming to the great" (2Pe 1:17, the King James Version "a voice to him from the excellent glory," the American Standard Revised Version and the English Revised Version, margin "the Majestic Glory"); kath' huperbolen "very surpassing" (1Co 12:31, "Yet I show unto you a more excellent way," the Revised Version (British and American) "most excellent"); pleion, "greater," "fuller" (Heb 11:4; see ABEL).

W. L. Walker