quintessential

[kwin-tuh-sen-shuhl]

adjective

1. of the pure and essential essence of something.

   the quintessential Jewish delicatessen.

2. of or relating to the most perfect embodiment of something.

   the quintessential performance of the Brandenburg Concertos.

quintessential

/ ˌkwɪntɪˈsɛnʃəl /

adjective

1. most typically representative of a quality, state, etc; perfect

Other Word Forms

• quintessentially adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of quintessential¹

First recorded in 1545–55; quintessence ( def. ) + -ial ( def. ), on the pattern of essential ( def. )

Example Sentences

For a quintessential way to wrap up a Driftless trip, grab a Spotted Cow and explore the grounds, built to resemble cathedral ruins.

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“The estate now looks like an American vision of a quintessentially English hunting estate,” said Catherine Hawkins, who has been spotting tankers from the outskirts of Andover.

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Another website appearing to use AI-generated images is Mabel & Daisy, a seemingly quintessential, mother and daughter-owned clothing firm, which claims to be based in Bristol but has an address in Hong Kong.

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Perhaps the quintessentially mendacious treatment of the subsidy issue came from Dean Clancy of Americans for Prosperity, a Koch-funded right-wing think tank.

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It’s the National Labor Relations Board, created in 1935 as a quintessential New Deal regulatory agency.

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Related Words

• typical 
• ultimate