THE FIRST WORD

wunderkind

PRONUNCIATION:

(VOON-duhr-kind, wun-) 

MEANING:

noun:
1. A child prodigy.
2. A person who achieves great success early in the career.

ETYMOLOGY:

From German Wunderkind, from Wunder (wonder) + Kind (child). Earliest documented use: 1891.

USAGE:

"Miguel Angel Sano is the wunderkind, one of the best young players the Dominican Republic has ever produced."
David Malitz; The Big Leagues' Hits and Errors; The Washington Post; Jul 13, 2012.