prowess
prow·ess/ˈpraʊ(w)əs/noun
prowess is spelled P-R-O-W-E-S-S: 7 letters and 2 syllables (prow·ess). It appears 2.2 times per million words in written English, the 18,297th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, prowess means “Skillfulness or extraordinary ability in a particular area of expertise; dexterity, mastery, or proficiency” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of prowess is prowesses.
How many letters and syllables are in prowess?
| Letters | 7: P-R-O-W-E-S-S |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2: prow·ess |
| In writing | 2.2 times per million words; the 18,297th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is prowess?
Prowess appears 2.2 times per million words in written English, the 18,297th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce prowess?
- UK /ˈpɹaʊɪs/
- Canada /ˈpɹaʊəs/
- US /ˈpraʊ(w)əs/
Prowess has 2 syllables, split prow·ess in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-au-prowess.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of prowess
- prowesses plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does prowess mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
Skillfulness or extraordinary ability in a particular area of expertise; dexterity, mastery, or proficiency.
- 2
Distinguished bravery or courage, especially in battle; heroism.
- 3
An act of adroitness or dexterity.
- 4
An act of distinguished bravery or courage; a heroic deed.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Prowess in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | habileté, dextérité, adresse , prouesse, héroïsme, exploit |
| German | Können, Fähigkeiten , Heldenmut, Tapferkeit |
| Portuguese | destreza , proeza |
| Spanish | primor, pericia , proeza |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does prowess come from?
From Middle English prowesse, prouwesse, proues, prouesce, prouesse (“bravery in battle; act of bravery; excellence; nobility of character; intelligence”), from Old French proeche, proesce, proeësche (“goodness; excellence; bravery”), from Old French preu, prou, prouz, proz, pruz (“good; excellent; brave”). Compare English proud.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).