elegant
Americanadjective
-
tastefully fine or luxurious in dress, style, design, etc..
elegant furnishings.
-
gracefully refined and dignified, as in tastes, habits, or literary style.
an elegant young gentleman; an elegant prosodist.
-
graceful in form or movement.
an elegant wave of the hand.
-
appropriate to refined taste.
a man devoted to elegant pursuits.
-
excellent; fine; superior.
an absolutely elegant wine.
-
(of scientific, technical, or mathematical theories, solutions, etc.) gracefully concise and simple; admirably succinct.
adjective
-
tasteful in dress, style, or design
-
dignified and graceful in appearance, behaviour, etc
-
cleverly simple; ingenious
an elegant solution to a problem
Synonym Usage
See fine 1.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of elegant
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); see origin at elect, -ant
Explanation
Nimble ballerinas and long-legged birds are elegant; dump trucks and walruses usually are not. Being graceful and refined are aspects of being elegant. That word first appears in English in the 15th century. It comes, via Old French, from the same Latin source that gave rise to the English word "elect, and it does seem that especially elegant people and things are in a select group. Very stylishly dressed men and women are elegant, and fine restaurants with distinctive delicacies are elegant. Most ordinary places and people can become elegant, though, when dressed up or adorned for special occasions. Even walruses can appear elegant when they're swimming.
Vocabulary lists containing elegant
Call of Beauty: Synonyms for "Beautiful"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Bronx Masquerade
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
A sizable firepit in the yard itself looks tailor-made for family game nights or s’mores sessions, and is surrounded by a lush green lawn and elegant landscaping.
From MarketWatch • May 27, 2026
Colleton’s 1820 Greek Revival courthouse is elegant like a wedding cake.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 24, 2026
From floral stage design and a live band, to her elegant shimmering dresses and words of wisdow - the performance had it all.
From BBC • May 24, 2026
The Louvre said "The proposal establishes an elegant link between the city, the palace, and the museum."
From Barron's • May 18, 2026
These rough homes stood directly behind the large, elegant brick house that Madison and his family shared with his aged mother—who lived into her nineties.
From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis
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.
