exquisite

[ik-skwiz-it, ek-skwi-zit]

adjective

1. of special beauty or charm, or rare and appealing excellence, as a face, a flower, coloring, music, or poetry.

   Synonyms: elegant, beautiful, dainty
   Antonyms: inelegant, graceless

2. extraordinarily fine or admirable; consummate.

   exquisite weather.

   Synonyms: matchless, rare
   Antonyms: ordinary

3. intense; acute, or keen, as pleasure or pain.

   Synonyms: poignant
   Antonyms: dull

4. of rare excellence of production or execution, as works of art or workmanship.

   the exquisite statues of the Renaissance.

   Synonyms: precious, choice, select

5. keenly or delicately sensitive or responsive.

   an exquisite ear for music; an exquisite sensibility.

6. of particular refinement or elegance, as taste, manners, etc., or persons.

   Synonyms: discriminating

7. carefully sought out, chosen, ascertained, devised, etc.

noun

1. Archaic.,  a person, especially a man, who is excessively concerned about clothes, grooming, etc.; dandy; coxcomb.

exquisite

/ ɪkˈskwɪzɪt, ˈɛkskwɪzɪt /

adjective

1. possessing qualities of unusual delicacy and fine craftsmanship

   jewels in an exquisite setting

2. extremely beautiful and pleasing

   an exquisite face

3. outstanding or excellent

   an exquisite victory

4. sensitive; discriminating

   exquisite taste

5. fastidious and refined

6. intense or sharp in feeling

   exquisite pleasure

   exquisite pain

noun

1. obsolete,  a dandy

Pronunciation Note

The pronunciation of exquisite has undergone a rapid change from to , with stress shifting to the second syllable. The newer pronunciation is still criticized by some, but is now more common in both the U.S. and England, and many younger educated speakers are not even aware of the older one. See harass.

Other Word Forms

• exquisitely adverb
• exquisiteness noun
• overexquisite adjective
• superexquisite adjective
• superexquisiteness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of exquisite¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin exquīsītus “meticulous, chosen with care,” originally past participle of exquīrere “to ask about, examine,” equivalent to ex- ex- ¹ + -quīrere , combining form of quaerere “to seek”

Word History and Origins

Origin of exquisite¹

C15: from Latin exquīsītus excellent, from exquīrere to search out, from quaerere to seek

Synonym Study

See delicate. See fine ¹

Example Sentences

Miss Mortimer picked up her spoon and stirred her tea with exquisite slowness.

Read more on Literature

The enormous amount of celadon ware found, including dishes, vases, pictures, and a huge number of exquisite celadon figurines, the likes of which had never been seen before, was extraordinary.

Read more on Literature

Instead, an ecosystem of exclusive restaurants, clubs, resorts and other service providers delivers them customized and exquisite experiences as fast as possible.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Wallace rued the fact that progress and violence kept such close company, a contradiction embodied in the exquisite new technologies for killing.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Its brief, exquisite melody glides in like a slow tide, and eventually releases into eddies of improvisation.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• admirable 
• charming 
• delicate 
• delicious 
• elegant 
• ethereal 
• impeccable 
• lovely 
• meticulous 
• perfect 
• polished 
• precise 
• rare 
• refined 
• splendid 
• striking 
• subtle 
• superb