Emmy

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An award presented annually to recognize outstanding achievements in television programming and production; a trophy symbolizing excellence in the TV industry; an honor given by various academies to commend exceptional talent and creativity in television arts
2. A prestigious accolade given to individuals or programs in the television field to celebrate superior work; a golden statue representing distinguished accomplishment in electronic media; a form of recognition for notable contributions to television entertainment or news
3. A distinguished prize awarded for excellence in television performance and production; a symbol of high achievement in broadcasting recognized by peers; a formal commendation for artistic or technical superiority in television programming

Etymology: The Emmy statuette is named after a camera part, not a person. In the early days of television, cameras used image orthicon tubes, and engineers nicknamed them "immy" for short. The award's name is a shortening of "immy" recast as a feminine-sounding form, "Emmy," which gave the trophy a more graceful ring than its technical source would suggest. The choice of name was thus a deliberate piece of wordplay that nodded to the medium's own machinery. The tube that made live pictures possible became, through a small respelling, the name of television's highest honor, and the word has kept that link to the camera room ever since.

Synonyms: award, prize, trophy, accolade, honor