quiddity

[ kwid-i-tee ]
See synonyms for quiddity on Thesaurus.com
noun,plural quid·di·ties.
  1. Also called what·ness [hwuht-nis, wuht‐] /ˈʰwʌtˌnɪs, ˈwʌt‐/ . the quality that makes a thing what it is; the essential nature of a thing.

  2. a trifling nicety of subtle distinction, as in argument.

Origin of quiddity

1
First recorded in 1350–1400; from Medieval Latin quidditās, equivalent to Latin quid “what” + -itās noun suffix; see -ity

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use quiddity in a sentence

  • And isn't it you who argues the finer shades between thisness and whatness, thickness and opaque intrusions at this juncture?

    The Land of Look Behind | Paul Cameron Brown
  • Whatness and affections (quiddity) of being distinguishes between, ii.

    Plotinos: Complete Works, v. 4 | Plotinos (Plotinus)

British Dictionary definitions for quiddity

quiddity

/ (ˈkwɪdɪtɪ) /


nounplural -ties
  1. philosophy the essential nature of something: Compare haecceity

  2. a petty or trifling distinction; quibble

Origin of quiddity

1
C16: from Medieval Latin quidditās, from Latin quid what

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012