Synonyms: Good

A maze is a path puzzle meant to confuse people, so to be amazed is to be dizzy, disoriented, or bewildered by something so incredible that it boggles the mind.

A choice is a decision, so if you have a choice between a number of options — a player for a pick-up ball game, a puppy from a litter, a dessert from a menu — you're going to pick your favorite, or the one with the most desirable qualities.

Commendable is closely related to recommend. They both come from the Latin commendare, meaning "to entrust" or "to commit to one's care."

Deluxe is French for "of luxury."

The Latin verb exaltare means "to raise up" or "to elevate." You can see the word altar in there, and that's from altus, meaning "high."

In Latin, excellere means "to rise above others."

To except something is to remove it from a group, to make an exception. If you perform a feat that sets you apart from your classmates, that's an exceptional achievement.

Another word beginning with ex- means more Latin! Exemplum means "example," so if your work can be held up as the standard that others should aspire to, that's exemplary.

One more, though this one ended up a little farther from the root. The Latin verb exquaerere means "to seek out," specifically in the sense of choosing something carefully, as in choice, above. Exquisite refers to something beautifully refined, elegant, or graceful.

Glory originally referred to both things that are wonderful and praiseworthy but also to people who seek out praise and fame for themselves.

Also Latin, magnificent refers to something glorious, exalted, or sublime, all of which are also on this list.

To marvel at something is to stare in wonderment or awe at how amazing or beautiful it is.

If you stand out from the crowd because you're really good at something, you're outstanding. Nice work!

Satisfacere is a Latin verb — literally "to do enough" — that means "to pay a debt" or "to fulfill an obligation." Something satisfactory is just that: enough, but not more than is required.

A Germanic word, originally sund in Middle English, sound in this sense means "healthy," "solid," or "strong."

Splendidus means "bright" in Latin. Something splendid is fancy, shiny, or otherwise sumptuous.

Silver that's 92.5 percent pure is called sterling silver, and anything else that's excellent — a work of art, a reputation, an effort — can be described the same way. The Norman dynasty in England used silver coins as money. Some of these had a star on them, and thus were called steorling, "coin with a star." A pound of these pennies became the pound sterling, the modern British currency.

Stupendus is Latin for "amazing," "astonishing," or "wonderful." The verb it comes from, stupere, means "to become stunned or speechless." That's the root of our stupor and stupid, so the implication in stupendous is that something is so impressive, so astonishing, that it leaves you dazed and at a loss for words.

Like exalted, above, sublime comes from a Latin word meaning "to lift up" or "to praise."

Superbus means "proud," "superior," or "distinguished" in Latin.

Superior means "above," "higher in position," or "victorious" in Latin. It's the opposite of inferior, meaning "lower" or "worse," and while we're at it we might as well cover anterior, "front," and posterior, "back."

Using the same super seen in superior, superlative means "the highest" or "the best." If you take the words good, better, and best, better is known as the comparative and best is the superlative.

From Old English, via Germanic roots, a wonder was something astonishing, a marvel, or a prodigy. Like marvelous, wonderful describes something amazing, that stops you short and maybe makes your mouth hang open.

From the Old English wurthe, which became worth, worthy describes someone or something deserving of honor or respect.

Virtus is Latin for "merit," "worth," or "valor." This passed through French, where it took on an element of divinity or supernatural power, and in English virtue refers to a state of moral or ethical perfection.