noun
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dignified grace in appearance, movement, or behaviour
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good taste in design, style, arrangement, etc
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something elegant; a refinement
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of elegance
1500–10; < Middle French < Latin ēlegantia choiceness. See elegant, -ance
Explanation
Elegance is a quality of style and grace. In our age of jeans and sneakers, the elegance of actresses on the red carpet on Oscar night is such a welcome sight. It comes from the Latin elegantia, "taste, propriety, or refinement." Fashion designer and eternal fashion icon Coco Chanel famously said, "Elegance is refusal," meaning it's best to skip the big jewelry and flashy clothes in favor of simple styles made from luxurious fabrics that one could wear forever — and look great every time. Elegance also describes the beautiful simplicity of a solution, such as an elegant mathematical proof.
Vocabulary lists containing elegance
Our Town
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Cormac McCarthy's "The Road"
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"Novio Boy: Scene 7, Part 1" and "Oranges"
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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.
And yet, Steinem’s combination of eloquence, elegance and determination contributed to her singular ability to push the fight for women’s equality into the mainstream.
From Salon ● Sep. 3, 2026
The bedraggled studio has been visually renovated with the wood-slatted elegance of Tesshi Nakagawa’s scenic design.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
Apart from one wild slog early in his innings, McKinney batted with a classical elegance while Rhodes was content to play the supporting role in a stand which stretched Durham's lead towards 300.
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026
“Perfectly positioned near ocean beaches, renowned restaurants, and the heart of the village, the property seamlessly combines privacy, elegance, and convenience.”
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 4, 2026
She holds her head high, the elegance of her neck heightened by the inky fall of her hair.
From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir
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.
