From Middle English prise, from Old French prise, past participle of prendre ("to take, to capture"), from Latin prēndō; see prehend.

• IPA: /pɹaɪz/

prize (plural prizes)

1. That which is taken from another; something captured; a thing seized by force, stratagem, or superior power.
   • 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book IV, Canto IV”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC ↗, page 54 ↗:

     […] wherefore he now begunne
     To challenge her anew, as his owne prize,
     Whom formerly he had in battell wonne,

2. (military, nautical) Anything captured by a belligerent using the rights of war; especially, property captured at sea in virtue of the rights of war, as a vessel.
   • 1724, Charles Johnson [pseudonym], “Of Captain Avery, and His Crew”, in A General History of the Pyrates, […], 2nd edition, London: Printed for, and sold by T. Warner, […], →OCLC ↗, page 51 ↗:

     Having taken all the Treasure on Board their own Ships, and plundered their Prize of every Thing elſe they either wanted or liked, they let her go; ſhe not being able to continue her Voyage, returned back: […]

3. An honour or reward striven for in a competitive contest; anything offered to be competed for, or as an inducement to, or reward of, effort.
   • 1675, John Dryden, Aureng-zebe: A Tragedy. […], London: […] T[homas] N[ewcomb] for Henry Herringman, […], published 1676, →OCLC ↗, Act I, page 5 ↗:

     I fought and conquer’d, yet have lost the prize.

4. That which may be won by chance, as in a lottery.
5. Anything worth striving for; a valuable possession held or in prospect.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC ↗, Philippians 3:14 ↗:

     I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

6. (obsolete) A contest for a reward; competition.
   • c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act III, scene ii]:

     Like one of two contending in a prize,
     That thinks he hath done well in people's eyes […]

7. A lever; a pry; also, the hold of a lever.

   Synonyms: prise

• Italian: trofeo
• Russian: трофе́й
• Spanish: botín

• German: Beute, Beute
• Italian: bottino
• Russian: трофе́й

• French: prix
• German: Preis
• Italian: premio
• Portuguese: (Brazil) prêmio, (Portugal) prémio
• Russian: пре́мия
• Spanish: premio

• French: prix
• German: Preis
• Italian: premio
• Portuguese: prêmio
• Russian: приз
• Spanish: premio

• Russian: награ́да

• Russian: рыча́г

From Middle English prysen, borrowed from Old French priser, from pris ("price"), from Latin pretium, whence price; see also praise, a doublet.

prize (prizes, present participle prizing; simple past and past participle prized)

1. To consider highly valuable; to esteem.
   • 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act III, scene i]:

     […] I
     Beyond all limit of what else i’ the world
     Do love, prize, honour you.

   • 1675, John Dryden, Aureng-zebe: A Tragedy. […], London: […] T[homas] N[ewcomb] for Henry Herringman, […], published 1676, →OCLC ↗, Act V, page 83 ↗:

     I pris’d your Person, but your Crown disdain.

2. (obsolete) To set or estimate the value of; to appraise; to price; to rate.
   • c. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act III, scene ii]:

     […] no life,
     I prize it not a straw, but for mine honour,

   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC ↗, Zechariah 11:13 ↗:

     […] a goodly price that I was prized at.

3. To move with a lever; to force up or open; to prise or pry.
4. (obsolete) To compete in a prizefight.

• French: estimer
• Spanish: apreciar

prize (not comparable)

1. Having won a prize; award-winning.

   a prize vegetable

2. First-rate; exceptional.

   He was a prize fool.

Alternative forms.

prize (plural prizes)

1. Obsolete form of price [16th–19th c.]