quintessential
Americanadjective
-
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.
Author and broadcaster Elizabeth Day wrote: "Knowing when to stop - and leaving on such a high, after shaping the culture - is the quintessential power move."
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
The lifespan of England’s quintessential oaks, meanwhile, could dramatically shorten to 100-150 years in hotter weather compared with the current 400 years or more.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026
I’d chased what everyone else wanted too — the quintessential Hollywood ending of marriage, kids and a house — and didn’t calculate what would happen if it didn’t work out.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026
Other stuff that Comic Con people seemed to agree upon, in no particular order: Grogu is cool, “Rogue One” is the best Star Wars movie and “The Wrath of Khan” is quintessential “Star Trek.”
From Salon ● Jul. 31, 2026
The debate behind the scenes had focused on Lawrence’s role as the quintessential pioneer of Big Science.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
