quiddity
Americannoun
PLURAL
quiddities-
Also called whatness. the quality that makes a thing what it is; the essential nature of a thing.
-
a trifling nicety of subtle distinction, as in argument.
noun
-
philosophy the essential nature of something Compare haecceity
-
a petty or trifling distinction; quibble
Etymology
Origin of quiddity
First recorded in 1350–1400; from Medieval Latin quidditās, equivalent to Latin quid “what” + -itās noun suffix; -ity
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Ample quotations from Hardwick allow her restless quiddity to come through.
From New York Times
And one of the few hopeful things I observed, in an otherwise grim time, was that, despite the advancing creep of retail sameness that long predated a pandemic, plenty of quiddity remained.
From New York Times
Survila’s approach allows the animals their independence, a sense of their quiddity that respects their being.
From New York Times
Ferrell’s shtick never gets there; the makers don’t grasp the show’s loopy quiddity, the grating earnestness that makes it so appalling and lovable.
From The Guardian
Managers, doormen and valets, with their quiddities and quirks, help set the tone for the singular ecosystem that is any given apartment building, as Mr. Soffer, the banker, explained.
From New York Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
