prodigy

An extraordinary occurrence or creature; an anomaly, especially a monster; a freak.

An amazing or marvellous thing; a wonder.

He is never chased; he would run away with rope-walks of line. Prodigies are told of him.

A wonderful example of something.

Traffic at Dover Marine has developed far beyond anything envisaged when the station was built. The layout has become rather cramped, and prodigies of organisation are performed annually by all concerned to save complete saturation.

An extremely talented person, especially a child.

An extraordinary thing seen as an omen; a portent.

These on the farther bank now stood and gazed, / By Heaven alarm’d, by prodigies amazed: / A signal omen stopp’d the passing host, / Their martial fury in their wonder lost.

Prodigies and Portents have infected the beſt VVritings of Antiquity; and have ſo blotted and deformed our modern Annals, that (vvith greater Juſtice than Polybius has obſerv'd it, of the former) they may be rather called Tragedies than History.