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.

Related Words

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