From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishfamousfa‧mous /ˈfeɪməs/ ●●● S2 W2 adjective 1 FAMOUS a) known about by many people in many places a famous actor Many famous people have stayed in the hotel. The Eiffel Tower is a famous landmark (=a famous place or building that is easy to recognize).famous for France is famous for its wine.famous as Virginia is famous as the birthplace of several US presidents. Da Vinci’s world-famous portrait of the Mona Lisa b) the famous [plural] people who are famous a nightclub used by the rich and famous2 → famous last wordsTHESAURUSfamous known about by a lot of people in many places, often all over the worldShe always wanted to be famous.The Mona Lisa is Da Vinci’s most famous painting.well-known known about by a lot of people, especially in a particular placeShilpa Shetty was well-known in India, but few people in the UK had heard of her.a well-known brand of cat foodcelebrated written very well-known and admiredDalí is one of Spain’s most celebrated artists.Martin Luther King’s celebrated speechrenowned/noted famous, especially for a particular thing or activity. Noted is more formal than renownedThe British are renowned for their love of animals.The area is noted for its wines.An internationally renowned chef owns the restaurant.legendary very famous and greatly admired – used especially about people who have been doing something for a long time or who have diedthe legendary blues guitarist, BB KingHer stage performances were legendary.famous because of something badnotorious /nəʊˈtɔːriəs, nə- $ noʊ-, nə-/ famous because of doing something bada notorious criminal a notorious legal caseinfamous famous because of doing something very bad, which seems immoral or evilthe infamous attack on the World Trade Centerthe infamous Jack the Ripper
Examples from the Corpus
famous• Rio's world-famous carnival• I am famous across this entire country.• a famous actress• "David Copperfield" is one of Dickens' most famous books.• But some people think that one famous didgeridoo player is already one too many.• Symposia such as the Panofsky one could also be held there, the famous elliptical reading room would be an ideal venue.• Manchester is famous for its nightlife and for its football teams.• It was from the research and development section of the famous mint manufacturers.• The package includes a tour of Sydney's famous Opera House.• Famous stars like Keanu Reeves and Demi Moore attended the party.Origin famous (1300-1400) Old French fameus, from Latin fama; → FAME 