quintessence
Americannoun
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the pure and concentrated essence of a substance.
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the most perfect embodiment of something.
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(in ancient and medieval philosophy) the fifth essence or element, ether, supposed to be the constituent matter of the heavenly bodies, the others being air, fire, earth, and water.
noun
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the most typical representation of a quality, state, etc
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an extract of a substance containing its principle in its most concentrated form
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(in ancient and medieval philosophy) ether, the fifth and highest essence or element after earth, water, air, and fire, which was thought to be the constituent matter of the heavenly bodies and latent in all things
Other Word Forms
- quintessential adjective
Etymology
Origin of quintessence
1400–50; Middle English < Medieval Latin quīnta essentia fifth essence
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.
The key to quintessence is that it changes in value through cosmic history and can be attractive or repulsive.
From Science Magazine • Jun. 21, 2023
The chorus sing “Dust, quintessence of dust” on that chord, even before Hamlet has sung his first opening lines.
From New York Times • May 16, 2022
Her volume is the quintessence of the young Los Angeles poet, who strode to a lectern at the U.S.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2022
When I’m writing a novel, adding something to it every day is for me the quintessence of practice.
From Slate • Jan. 18, 2021
The heavens are made out of aether, or quintessence, which is translucent and unchanging, neither hot nor cold, dry nor damp.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
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.
