VCR #2 Flyer
Rhea Parikh
Fill in the blank with the most appropriate word from lesson 2
Paragon (noun)
1. A model of excellence or perfection
2. A flawless diamond that weighs at least one-hundred carats
** definition 2 is less common
Roots: Paragon comes from the Greek root Para meaning "beside."
Synonyms (first definition):
-shining example
-ideal
-epitome
-paradigm
**It can be confusing to differentiate between paradigm, epitome, and paragon. It is good to remember that epitome is a general representation of something (ex. epitome of cowardice). Paradigm is a basic form of something that can serve as a model (ex. working of an algebra problem). Paragon usually refers to a person pointing out some outstanding quality of him/her.
Antonyms (first definition):
There are no direct antonyms, but someone who is inferior or infamous or insignificant is an opposite of a paragon.
Synonyms (second defintion):
-no direct synonyms
Antonyms (second defintion):
-any diamond that weighs under 100 carats
**Paragon is always used as a noun, and it is common that paragon precedes the word "of".
For example:
-paragon of virtue
-paragon of purity
-paragon of perseverance
-paragon of goodness
Examples of paragons in history
Choose the letter of the sentence in which the word in bold is used incorrectly.
A. After being the face of almost every fashion magazine, Gisele Bundchen was considered the paragon of beauty.
B. Being able to babysit five young boys without once getting aggravated, Lexi is the paragon of patience.
C. With twenty-eight Olympic medals, Michael Phelps the paragon of success.
D. When Joe saw a purse left on a chair at the restaurant, he decided to keep it instead of returning it to the owner, making him a paragon of integrity.