elegant

[el-i-guhnt]

adjective

1. tastefully fine or luxurious in dress, style, design, etc..

   elegant furnishings.

2. gracefully refined and dignified, as in tastes, habits, or literary style.

   an elegant young gentleman; an elegant prosodist.

   Synonyms: courtly, polished

3. graceful in form or movement.

   an elegant wave of the hand.

4. appropriate to refined taste.

   a man devoted to elegant pursuits.

5. excellent; fine; superior.

   an absolutely elegant wine.

6. (of scientific, technical, or mathematical theories, solutions, etc.) gracefully concise and simple; admirably succinct.

elegant

/ ˈɛlɪɡənt /

adjective

1. tasteful in dress, style, or design

2. dignified and graceful in appearance, behaviour, etc

3. cleverly simple; ingenious

   an elegant solution to a problem

Other Word Forms

• elegantly adverb
• hyperelegant adjective
• hyperelegantly adverb
• overelegant adjective
• overelegantly adverb
• superelegant adjective
• superelegantly adverb
• unelegant adjective
• unelegantly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of elegant¹

First recorded in 1400–50; Late Middle English (from Middle French ), from Latin ēlegant- (stem of ēlegāns ) “tasteful, choice,” equivalent to ēleg- (akin to ēlig- “select”) + -ant- a suffix forming adjectives from verbs; originally the present participle of ēlegāre (unattested); elect, -ant

Word History and Origins

Origin of elegant¹

C16: from Latin ēlegāns tasteful, related to ēligere to select; see _elect

Synonym Study

See fine ¹.

Example Sentences

Not since “The Importance of Being Earnest,” a play that Stoppard revered the way a mathematician would regard the world’s most elegant proof, has the English stage experienced such high-flying chat.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The adjective “Stoppardian” entered the Oxford English Dictionary in 1978 to describe writing marked by “elegant wit while addressing philosophical concerns.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The expansive living room has elegant oak wood flooring, and the chef’s kitchen offers a chic and minimalist design with gray cabinets, modern appliances, and marble countertops.

Read more on MarketWatch

The one presented is about as elegant as a demolition derby conducted at a landfill, with so many elements flying around that the movie ends in a thick cloud of culpability.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

This elegant drink balances subtle sweetness, tannins, citrus and ginger.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• chic 
• classic 
• delicate 
• dignified 
• exquisite 
• fancy 
• fashionable 
• graceful 
• grand 
• handsome 
• luxurious 
• neat 
• opulent 
• ornate 
• polished 
• refined 
• silk-stocking 
• simple 
• stately 
• stylish