Prowess is outstanding skill or bravery. Sporting prowess, military prowess, prowess in the field.
It is nearly always used with a field named after it, and it is a formal word that sounds slightly grand in modern speech. The original sense was bravery in battle, and the extension to skill of any kind came later.
1nounprowessOutstanding skill or bravery.
“The young striker's prowess in front of goal attracted several big clubs.”
prowess is a skill.
Old French proesce comes from prou, brave or valiant. Proud is a distant relative.
Old French
proeche
Middle English
prowesse
English, today
prowess
Built from
From Middle English prowesse, prouwesse, proues, prouesce, prouesse (“bravery in battle; act of bravery; excellence; nobility of character; intelligence”), from Old French proeche, proesce, proeësche (“goodness; excellence; bravery”), from Old French preu, prou, prouz, proz, pruz (“good; excellent; brave”). Compare English proud.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA