Prestigious
mid 16th century (in the sense ‘practising conjuring tricks’): from late Latin praestigiosus, from praestigiae ‘conjuring tricks’. The current sense dates from the early 20th century.
wiktionary
Attested since the 1540s; Latin praestigiosus(“full of tricks”), praestigiae(“juggler's tricks”), possibly an alteration of praestringō(“to blindfold, to dazzle”), from prae-(“before”) with stringō(“to bind or tie”).
etymonline
prestigious (adj.)
1540s, "practicing illusion or magic, juggling; deluding, deceptive," from Latin praestigious "full of tricks," from praestigiae "juggler's tricks," probably altered by dissimilation from praestrigiae, from praestringere "to blind, blindfold, dazzle," from prae "before" (see pre-) + stringere "to tie or bind" (see strain (v.)). Derogatory until 19c., marked as obsolete in Century Dictionary (1895); the positive meaning "having dazzling influence" is attested from 1913, from prestige. Related: Prestigiously; prestigiousness.
