I.superiority, excellence, perfection (abstr. and rel.): “magna cum excellentia praestantiaque animantium reliquarum,” Cic. Off. 1, 28; cf. id. ib. 1, 27 fin.: “animi excellentia magnitudoque,” id. ib. 1, 5, 17; so, “picturae,” Plin. 35, 14, 49, § 173: “crurum,” id. 34, 8, 19, § 82; Prud. στεφ. 10, 52: propter excellentiam, pre-eminence, Gr. κατ̓ ἐξοχήν, ut Homerus propter excellentiam commune poëtarum nomen efficit apud Graecos suum, Cic. Top. 13, 55; cf.: “per excellentiam,” Sen. Ep. 58, 17.—Plur.: “saepe excellentiae quaedam sunt, qualis erat Scipionis in nostro grege,” Cic. Lael. 19, 69.
excellentia , ae, f. excello, P. a. 1.,