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Vinony

excel

verb

  1. be very good
L6328 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /ɪkˈsɛl/ / /ɛkˈsɛl/

name

Etymology: From excel. The name was selected in 1984 by Microsoft after being submitted by a branch manager and is thought to convey superiority over other spreadsheet programs, especially then dominant Lotus 1-2-3.

  1. Microsoft Excel, a spreadsheet application software program written and distributed by Microsoft.

    ““Do you know Excel?” ¶ “No.” ¶ “Could you learn?” ¶ “Probably not. I find it very difficult to learn things I don't already know.” Then, remembering the advice that I try to sell myself, I added, “But I'm sure I'd pick it up eventually.””

verb

Etymology: From Middle English excellen, from Old French exceller, from Latin excellere, excelsum; ex (“out”) + *cellō, an unattested verb root found in culmen (“height, top”); Compare French exceller. See also culminate, column.

  1. To surpass someone or something; to be better or do better than someone or something.

    “I excelled everyone else with my exam results.”

    “Compositions which follow the style of Nissi Belzer's creations in structure but which excel them in length.”

  2. To be much better than others.

    “But it is as a destroyer of grasshoppers that the dickcissel excels.”

    “1924: Aristotle, Metaphysics. Translated by W. D. Ross. Nashotah, Wisconsin, USA: The Classical Library, 2001. Book 1, Part 2.. If, then, there is something in what the poets say, and jealousy is natural to the divine power, it would probably occur in this case above all, and all who excelled in this knowledge would be unfortunate.”

  3. To exceed, to go beyond.

    “She opened; but to shut / Excelled her power: the gates wide open stood […]”

    “I reason, we could die : / The best vitality / Cannot excel decay; / But what of that?”