Celebrity in Different Languages
Discover 'Celebrity' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'celebrity' is a common term in today's culture, but have you ever wondered what it means in different languages? A celebrity is a person who is widely recognized and famous, typically for their accomplishments in the arts, sports, or media. The concept of celebrity has been around for centuries, with ancient Romans granting public figures the title of 'celebritas.'
In modern times, celebrities have a significant impact on society, shaping cultural trends and influencing consumer behavior. They are often seen as role models and inspire others through their work and philanthropy. But beyond their cultural importance, celebrities also offer a unique opportunity to learn about language and culture.
For example, did you know that in Spanish, a celebrity is called 'celebridad'? Or that in German, it's 'Prominenz'? Understanding these translations can give us insight into how different cultures view fame and success.
In this article, we'll explore the translations of the word 'celebrity' in various languages, from French and Italian to Chinese and Japanese. Whether you're a language enthusiast or simply curious, join us on this journey to discover the fascinating world of celebrity in different languages.
Celebrity
Celebrity in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | beroemdheid | ||
| The word "beroemdheid" is derived from the Dutch word "beroemd" meaning "famous" and the suffix "-heid" meaning "state or quality of being." | |||
| Amharic | ዝነኛ | ||
| The word "ዝነኛ" can also mean "someone who is known for their wisdom or intelligence." | |||
| Hausa | shahararre | ||
| The word "shahararre" also means "shining" or "bright" and is often used to describe famous people or stars. | |||
| Igbo | ama | ||
| "Ama" in Igbo can also refer to a famous event or an exceptional person. | |||
| Malagasy | olo-malaza | ||
| The Malagasy word "olo-malaza" has an alternate meaning of "person with a lot of rice on their plate," a reference to those who are well-respected within the community. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | wotchuka | ||
| The word "wotchuka" in Nyanja (Chichewa) originates from the verb "kuotcha" meaning "to be known" or "to be famous". | |||
| Shona | mukurumbira | ||
| The word 'mukurumbira' is thought to derive from the verb 'kurumbira', meaning 'to be well-known' or 'to be famous'. | |||
| Somali | caan ah | ||
| The word "caan ah" may have originated from the Arabic word "qadn"} | |||
| Sesotho | motho ya tummeng | ||
| The word refers to a person who is famous, especially in a particular area. | |||
| Swahili | mtu mashuhuri | ||
| "Mtu Mashuhuri" (literally "known person") in Swahili refers to both celebrities and people recognized for their achievements. | |||
| Xhosa | indumasi | ||
| The Xhosa word "indumasi" originally meant "leader, chief, or headman". | |||
| Yoruba | gbajumọ | ||
| The Yoruba word "gbajumọ" also refers to a type of masquerade that embodies a deceased ancestor or mythical figure. | |||
| Zulu | usaziwayo | ||
| The word 'usaziwayo' in Zulu is derived from the verb 'sazi' meaning 'to know', and has alternate meanings such as 'one who is known' or 'a famous person'. | |||
| Bambara | mɔgɔ tɔgɔba dɔw | ||
| Ewe | ame xɔŋkɔ aɖe | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ibyamamare | ||
| Lingala | moto ya lokumu | ||
| Luganda | sereebu | ||
| Sepedi | motho yo a tumilego | ||
| Twi (Akan) | obi a wagye din | ||
Celebrity in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | نجاح كبير | ||
| The Arabic word "نجاح كبير" (celebrity) literally translates to "great success". | |||
| Hebrew | סלבריטאי | ||
| The Hebrew word “סלבריטאי” (celebrity) originates from the Latin “celeber” (famous). | |||
| Pashto | شهرت | ||
| The word شهرت also means "fame" in Pashto. | |||
| Arabic | نجاح كبير | ||
| The Arabic word "نجاح كبير" (celebrity) literally translates to "great success". | |||
Celebrity in Western European Languages
| Albanian | i famshëm | ||
| The word "i famshëm" derives from the Italian "famoso" (famous) or the French "fameux" (renowned). | |||
| Basque | ospetsu | ||
| The word "ospetsu" can also refer to "noble" or "knight" and probably comes from the root word "ots" meaning "famous" or "well-known". | |||
| Catalan | celebritat | ||
| "Celebritat" originates from the Latin word "celeber", meaning "crowded, frequented", referring to someone with widespread popularity or fame. | |||
| Croatian | slavna osoba | ||
| Slavna osoba is a compound word in Croatian: 'slavna' (glorious) and 'osoba' (person), so its original meaning was 'a person of glory' rather than 'a famous person'. | |||
| Danish | berømthed | ||
| The word "berømthed" also means "fame" or "distinction" in Danish. | |||
| Dutch | beroemdheid | ||
| The Dutch word "beroemdheid" derives from the Middle Dutch "beruchtheid", meaning "notoriety" or "infamy". | |||
| English | celebrity | ||
| In astrology, a celebrity is a planet or star that is believed to influence a person's life and personality. | |||
| French | célébrité | ||
| "Célébrité" is closely related to "célérité" (swiftness) and thus originally meant "one who moves quickly", "one who is quick to spread news". | |||
| Frisian | ferneamdens | ||
| The Frisian word "ferneamdens" originally referred to someone who was widely known for their skills or knowledge, rather than for their fame or popularity. | |||
| Galician | famoso | ||
| The Galician word "famoso" derives from the Latin "famosus," meaning "known" or "renowned." | |||
| German | berühmtheit | ||
| The word Berühmtheit in German is derived from the Middle High German word berüemen, which means 'to boast' or 'to make oneself known'. | |||
| Icelandic | fræg manneskja | ||
| "Fræg manneskja" literally means "famous human being" in Icelandic, and it is used to refer to people who are well-known for their accomplishments or their social status. | |||
| Irish | cáiliúla | ||
| The term 'cáiliúla' was originally used to describe wealthy farmers who made their fortune after the land reforms of the 19th century, then to describe an affluent individual, and, in modern times, to describe a famous person or a VIP, which gives the closest translation to its contemporary English equivalent: 'celebrity'. | |||
| Italian | celebrità | ||
| The word "celebrità" in Italian is derived from the Latin word "celeber", meaning "famous" or "frequented". | |||
| Luxembourgish | promi | ||
| Promi (celebrity) also means "one who makes promises" in Luxembourgish. | |||
| Maltese | ċelebrità | ||
| The Maltese word "ċelebrità" is derived from the Latin word "celeber", meaning "much frequented" or "famous". | |||
| Norwegian | kjendis | ||
| The Norwegian word "kjendis" is a loanword from Danish, which in turn is derived from the German word "Kennzeichen", meaning a distinctive feature. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | celebridade | ||
| "Celebridade" originated from the Latin word "celeber", meaning "crowded, frequented", and "-dade", a suffix denoting quality or state. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | iomraiteach | ||
| The Scots Gaelic word "iomraiteach" originates from the Irish word "iomarthach", meaning "numerous" or "abounding", hence its alternate meaning of "multitude" or "abundance". | |||
| Spanish | celebridad | ||
| In Spanish, "celebridad" also means "speed" and "agility" in horseback riding. | |||
| Swedish | kändis | ||
| "Kändis" can also be an adjective meaning "well-known" or "famous". | |||
| Welsh | enwogrwydd | ||
| The Welsh word "enwogrwydd" is derived from the word "enwog", meaning "famous" or "renowned", and "rwydd", meaning "state" or "condition". It can also refer to the state of being well-known or popular. | |||
Celebrity in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | знакамітасць | ||
| Bosnian | celebrity | ||
| The word 'celebrity' comes from the Latin word 'celeber', meaning 'famous' or 'renowned'. | |||
| Bulgarian | знаменитост | ||
| The word "знаменитост" is derived from the Slavic word "знамя" (flag) and originally meant "famous person" or "hero". | |||
| Czech | osobnost | ||
| The word "osobnost" in Czech also means "personality". | |||
| Estonian | kuulsus | ||
| The word "kuulsus" derives from Old Estonian "kuulma," meaning "to hear," and was originally used to refer to a person of renown or reputation, not necessarily a celebrity in the modern sense. | |||
| Finnish | julkkis | ||
| "Julkkis" is likely a contraction of "julkisuuden henkilö" ("public figure") shortened for ease of pronunciation. | |||
| Hungarian | híres ember | ||
| The word "híres ember" translates literally as "famous person" and can refer to both celebrities and public figures. | |||
| Latvian | slavenība | ||
| The Latvian word "slavenība" has Slavic roots and can also mean "fame" or "glory." | |||
| Lithuanian | įžymybė | ||
| The word "įžymybė" comes from the Lithuanian word "įžymus", which means "famous" or "well-known." | |||
| Macedonian | славна личност | ||
| The word "славна личност" in Macedonian, often translated as "celebrity," literally means "glorious personality." | |||
| Polish | sława | ||
| The word "sława" in Polish is derived from the Proto-Slavic root `*slov-`, meaning "to hear" or "to talk", and is related to the words "słowo" (word) and "słuchać" (to listen). | |||
| Romanian | celebritate | ||
| The Romanian word "celebritate" originally meant "celebration" and still retains this meaning alongside its more recent meaning of "celebrity". | |||
| Russian | знаменитость | ||
| "Знаменитость" is derived from the Russian word "знамя" meaning "banner" or "flag" and implies "someone who carries a banner" or "someone who is followed by others." | |||
| Serbian | позната личност | ||
| Derived from the Latin "celeber," meaning "much frequented" or "populous," "celebrity" originally referred to a heavenly body or religious festival in the Middle Ages. | |||
| Slovak | celebrita | ||
| In Slovak, "celebrita" also means "the whole", or "entirety" of something. | |||
| Slovenian | slavna oseba | ||
| The word "slavna oseba" literally means "glorious person" in Slovenian, highlighting the esteem in which celebrities are held. | |||
| Ukrainian | знаменитість | ||
| The Ukrainian term «знаменитість», meaning "celebrity", derives from the root «знамено», meaning "banner". | |||
Celebrity in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | সেলিব্রিটি | ||
| The word 'সেলিব্রিটি' ('celebrity') in Bengali is derived from the Latin word 'celeber', meaning 'much frequented' or 'famous'. | |||
| Gujarati | સેલિબ્રિટી | ||
| The word 'સેલિબ્રિટી' in Gujarati is derived from the Latin word 'celeber', which means 'famous' or 'renowned'. | |||
| Hindi | सेलिब्रिटी | ||
| The word 'सेलिब्रिटी' is a loanword that originated from the Latin word 'celebrare' meaning 'to praise', 'to honor', or 'to perform rites' and is also related to 'sacred' and 'worship'. | |||
| Kannada | ಸೆಲೆಬ್ರಿಟಿ | ||
| ಸೆಲೆಬ್ರಿಟಿ is derived from the Latin word 'celeber', meaning 'famous' or 'renowned'. | |||
| Malayalam | സെലിബ്രിറ്റി | ||
| In Malayalam, "celebrity" also translates to "പ്രസിദ്ധി" (prasiddhi), derived from Sanskrit, implying not just fame but recognition and merit. | |||
| Marathi | सेलिब्रिटी | ||
| The word "सेलिब्रिटी" (celebrity) in Marathi is derived from "सेलेब्रेट" (celebrate), meaning to honor or commemorate a person or event. | |||
| Nepali | सेलिब्रेटी | ||
| The word "सेलिब्रेटी" is derived from the Latin word "celebrare", meaning "to celebrate". | |||
| Punjabi | ਸੇਲਿਬ੍ਰਿਟੀ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | කීර්තිමත් | ||
| Tamil | பிரபல | ||
| The word "பிரபல" (prapala) is derived from the Sanskrit word "प्रबला" (prabālā), meaning "strong" or "powerful". | |||
| Telugu | ప్రముఖ | ||
| "ప్రముఖ" is not a direct translation for "celebrity", but rather means "distinguished" or "eminent" in Telugu. | |||
| Urdu | مشہور شخصیت | ||
Celebrity in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 名人 | ||
| 名, meaning "name", can trace its roots back to the oracle bone script from the Shang Dynasty, where it depicted an eye, indicating that it originally referred to a facial feature that could be used to identify someone. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 名人 | ||
| The Chinese character "名人" literally means "a person with a name," implying fame and recognition. | |||
| Japanese | 有名人 | ||
| The word "有名人" (yūmeijin) literally means "famous or well-known person." | |||
| Korean | 명성 | ||
| The word '명성' can also refer to reputation or fame, often emphasizing the positive aspects. | |||
| Mongolian | алдартан | ||
| The word "алдартан" derives from the Mongolian word "алдар", or "fame", and is also used to refer to a person who is well-known and respected in their field. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အနုပညာရှင် | ||
Celebrity in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | selebriti | ||
| The Indonesian word 'selebriti' originates from the English word 'celebrity' and refers to a famous or popular person. | |||
| Javanese | selebriti | ||
| "Selebriti" (celebrity) in Javanese is derived from the word "selebrasi" (celebration), implying that a celebrity is someone worthy of special attention and recognition on a celebratory occasion. | |||
| Khmer | ភាពល្បីល្បាញ | ||
| Lao | ຄົນດັງ | ||
| The Lao word "ຄົນດັງ" ("celebrity") is etymologically related to the Khmer word "គន្ថធរ" ("author") and the Thai word "คนดัง" ("famous person"). | |||
| Malay | selebriti | ||
| The word 'selebriti' is derived from the Arabic word 'sharaf' meaning 'honour', and also has the alternate meaning of 'famous'. | |||
| Thai | คนดัง | ||
| "คนดัง" also means "bright person" in Northern Thai. | |||
| Vietnamese | người nổi tiếng | ||
| The word "nguoi noi tieng" is derived from Chinese and originally meant "famous person" or "sage" | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | tanyag na tao | ||
Celebrity in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | ünlü | ||
| The word "ünlü" in Azerbaijani also means "famous", "well-known", or "distinguished". | |||
| Kazakh | атақты | ||
| The Kazakh word "атақты" also means "famous", "well-known", or "renowned". | |||
| Kyrgyz | атактуу | ||
| The term "атактуу" is also used to describe a person with a high social status or reputation. | |||
| Tajik | машхур | ||
| The word "машхур" is derived from the Arabic word "mashhur", meaning "famous" or "renowned", which is in turn derived from the root "sh-h-r", meaning "to make known" or "to spread throughout." | |||
| Turkmen | meşhur | ||
| Uzbek | taniqli | ||
| As a loanword from Arabic, "taniqli" also means "well-known" or "famous" in general. | |||
| Uyghur | داڭلىق شەخس | ||
Celebrity in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | mea kaulana | ||
| The Hawaiian term mea kaulana is composed of "mea" meaning "a thing" or "something" and "kaulana" meaning "famous" or "renowned". | |||
| Maori | tangata rongonui | ||
| Tangata rongonui was originally used to refer to people with significant knowledge or influence within Māori society. | |||
| Samoan | lauiloa | ||
| Lauiloa is a term of reverence for esteemed individuals, such as chiefs and orators, implying their high status and respect within the Samoan community. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | tanyag na tao | ||
| The word "tanyag na tao" (celebrity) literally translates to "well-known person" in English. | |||
Celebrity in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | wali uñt’at jaqi | ||
| Guarani | celebridad rehegua | ||
Celebrity in International Languages
| Esperanto | famulo | ||
| The Esperanto word "famulo" also means "servant" in Latin. | |||
| Latin | celebritas | ||
| "Celebritas" also means "speed" or "quickness" in Latin. | |||
Celebrity in Others Languages
| Greek | διασημότητα | ||
| The Greek word "διασημότητα" is derived from the Ancient Greek verb "δηλόω", meaning "to show" or "to make known. | |||
| Hmong | muaj koob npe | ||
| Muaj koob npe, meaning "celebrity" in Hmong, can also refer to "notable person" or "famous person". | |||
| Kurdish | navdar | ||
| The word "navdar" in Kurdish has ancient roots and also means "guide" or "one who leads the way". | |||
| Turkish | şöhret | ||
| "Şöhret" comes from the Arabic word "shuhrah" which means fame, renown, or glory. | |||
| Xhosa | indumasi | ||
| The Xhosa word "indumasi" originally meant "leader, chief, or headman". | |||
| Yiddish | רום | ||
| Yiddish "רום" ("celebrity") derives from the Latin "rumorem," meaning "rumor," and can also signify "noise" or "commotion." | |||
| Zulu | usaziwayo | ||
| The word 'usaziwayo' in Zulu is derived from the verb 'sazi' meaning 'to know', and has alternate meanings such as 'one who is known' or 'a famous person'. | |||
| Assamese | চেলিব্ৰিটি | ||
| Aymara | wali uñt’at jaqi | ||
| Bhojpuri | सेलिब्रिटी के नाम से जानल जाला | ||
| Dhivehi | މަޝްހޫރު ފަރާތެކެވެ | ||
| Dogri | सेलिब्रिटी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | tanyag na tao | ||
| Guarani | celebridad rehegua | ||
| Ilocano | nalatak a tao | ||
| Krio | sɛlibret pɔsin | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | ناوداران | ||
| Maithili | सेलिब्रिटी | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯁꯦꯂꯤꯕ꯭ꯔꯦꯇꯤ ꯑꯣꯏꯕꯥ ꯃꯤꯑꯣꯏ ꯑꯃꯅꯤ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | milar a ni | ||
| Oromo | nama beekamaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ସେଲିବ୍ରିଟି | ||
| Quechua | riqsisqa runa | ||
| Sanskrit | प्रसिद्धः | ||
| Tatar | танылган шәхес | ||
| Tigrinya | ፍሉጥ ሰብ | ||
| Tsonga | ndhuma ya ndhuma | ||