quintessential
Americanadjective
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of the pure and essential essence of something.
the quintessential Jewish delicatessen.
-
of or relating to the most perfect embodiment of something.
the quintessential performance of the Brandenburg Concertos.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of quintessential
First recorded in 1545–55; quintessence ( def. ) + -ial ( def. ), on the pattern of essential ( def. )
Explanation
If someone tells you you’re the quintessential rock musician, that means they think that everything about you screams “rock and roll.” Quintessential means embodying or possessing the essence of something. Some people think that baseball is the quintessential American sport. (Others might think it's stock car racing.) We also call something quintessential if it’s absolutely necessary. A quintessential part of a lasting friendship is mutual respect. Good computer skills are quintessential if you want to become the world’s greatest hacker.
Vocabulary lists containing quintessential
100 Words to Make You Sound Smart
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Fast Food Nation
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Vocabulary Heard at the 2016 Democratic National Convention
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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.
Quintessential tater-tot hot dish is shepherd’s pie-adjacent here: ground beef, carrots, peas and cheddar cheese on the lower level and tots atop, rather than baked in.
From Seattle Times • Nov. 22, 2023
Quintessential Equity, an Australian property developer and investor, announced itself as the buyer on its website without elaborating.
From Reuters • Aug. 18, 2023
"Quintessential works by Piet Mondrian rarely come to auctions as many are housed in the most prestigious museum collections around the world," said Julian Dawes, the head of impressionist and modern art at Sotheby's.
From BBC • Nov. 15, 2022
Quintessential horror story beats fuse with elements of Catholic spirituality and Mexican folklore.
From New York Times • Jun. 8, 2022
Then turning after a moment's silence to the girl, "What says our Quintessential Stone to this?" he continued.
From The Long Night by Weyman, Stanley John
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.
