Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - famous

~ adj 1 known about and talked about by many people in many places  (a famous actor) + for  (France is famous for its wine.) + as  (Virginia is famous as the birthplace of several US presidents. | world-famous (=famous all over the world))  (Da Vinci's world-famous portrait of the Mona Lisa. | the rich and famous)  (a nightclub in LA that caters for the rich and famous) 2 spoken only before noun used about someone or something who you have heard about but have never met  (Ah, so this is the famous Jill.) 3 famous last words spoken used when someone has said too confidently that they can do something or that something will happen  ("Even I can't get lost around there." "Famous last words.") 4 old-fashioned very good; excellent  ( USAGE NOTE: FAMOUS WORD CHOICE famous, well-known, distinguished, eminent, renowned, notorious, infamous Well-known is like famous, but if someone is well-known, it is often with a particular group of people, or for a particular skill, achievement etc She's very well-known in the literary world. If you are famous, most people have heard of you, and know who you are That big house in Malibu belongs to a famous movie star. Distinguished and eminent are used especially of people who are famous for serious work in science, the arts etc a distinguished writer | an eminent surgeon. Places or people are renowned for a particular quality, characteristic, or skill Florence is renowned for its beautiful buildings. | the renowned cellist, Jacqueline Du Pre. If someone is notorious they are famous for something bad the notorious gangster Marco Fellini | Many politicians are notorious hypocrites. Infamous is like notorious but slightly literary, and is often used about people, places, and events in the past or when they are a long way away The infamous Bastille prison. )