adjective
( formal ) more important, more successful or of a higher standard than others
SYN outstanding :
Dickens was pre-eminent among English writers of his day.
► ˌpre-ˈeminence noun [ U ]:
to achieve pre-eminence in public life
••
WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from Latin praeeminent- towering above, excelling, from the verb praeeminere , from prae before + eminere stand out.