quintessence en · NOUN
Pronunciation
Etymology
PIE word *pénkʷe From Middle English, borrowed from Middle French, from Medieval Latin quinta essentia (“fifth essence, aether”), equivalent to quint- + essence. "Essence" in this context is a synonym for "element". In pre-atomic/Aristotelian theory, there are four known elements or essences — Earth, Air, Fire and Water — and a putative fifth element (aether), which is considered to be of exceptional superior quality to the other four basic elements.
Meanings
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(countable, uncountable) A thing that is the most perfect example of its type; the most perfect embodiment of something; epitome, prototype.
The Pagans did well enough; I cordially admire the refinement of their minds; but it has been reserved for a Christian country to attain this extreme, this quintessence, this absolute of poignancy.
1877–1880, Robert Louis Stevenson, “(please specify the page)”, in New Arabian Nights […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Chatto & Windus, […], published 1882, →OCLC:As families and kindreds sometimes do; producing, after long ages of unnoted notability, some living quintescence of all the qualities they had, to flame forth as a man world-noted […]
1837, Thomas Carlyle, The French Revolution: A History […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: Chapman and Hall, →OCLC, (please specify the book or page number):
- (countable, uncountable) A pure substance.
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(countable, uncountable) The essence of a thing in its purest and most concentrated form.
Let ther be Light, ſaid God, and forthwith Light, / Ethereal, firſt of things, quinteſſence pure, / Sprung from the Deep, […]
1667, John Milton, “Book VII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 243–245:For vvhat is ſilke but eu'n a Quinteſſence, / Made vvithout hands beyond al humane ſenſe? / A quinteſſence? nay vvel it may be call'd, / A deathleſſe tincture, ſent vs from the skies, / VVhoſe colour ſtands, vvhose gloſſe is ne're appalld, […]
1599, T[homas] M[offett], The Silkewormes, and Their Flies: […], London: […] V[alentine] S[immes] for Nicholas Ling, […], →OCLC, pages 67–68:Dickie, a one-man entertainment empire, was at least as significant as those humanitarian titans he brought to life on screen. He was also the quintessence of kindness and modesty, and it was a privilege to have known and worked with him
2014 August 26, “Richard Attenborough: tributes paid to 'the quintessence of kindness'”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 25 Apr 2021:
- (countable, uncountable) The fifth alchemical element, or essence, after earth, air, fire, and water that fills the universe beyond the terrestrial sphere.
- (countable, uncountable) A hypothetical form of dark energy postulated to explain observations of an accelerating universe.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| quintessences | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
quintessential · superquintessence · quintessentially · quintom
Synonyms
gist · epitome · guts · crux · nub · paradigm · bowels · kernel · marrow · heart and soul · brass tacks · meat · aether · icon · quintessence · simple · heartstrings · punctum saliens · drift · gravamen · nitty-gritty · soul · pith · moral of the story · substance · pattern · template · essence · tenor · sum · paragon · distillation · archetype · quintessence · heartstring · heart · quintessence · example · nuts and bolts · stuff · spirit · exemplar · model · core · inwardness
Translations (45)
it quintessenza (most perfect example of its type) · el πεμπτουσία (most perfect example of its type) · yi תּמצית (most perfect example of its type) · fi ruumiillistuma (most perfect example of its type) · fi puhdas aine (pure substance) · pl kwintesencja (most perfect example of its type) · ka კვინტესენცია (most perfect example of its type) · nl essentie (essence in its most pure and concentrated form) · cmn 典範 /典范 (most perfect example of its type) · ka კვინტესენცია (pure substance) · cmn 精髓 (essence in its most pure and concentrated form) · hi खरा (pure substance) · gl quintaesencia (pure substance) · el πεμπτουσία (pure substance) · hi शुद्ध (pure substance) · mi tino (essence in its most pure and concentrated form) · ka კვინტესენცია (essence in its most pure and concentrated form) · da kvintessens (most perfect example of its type) · fa نمونهٔ اعلی (most perfect example of its type) · el πεμπτουσία (essence in its most pure and concentrated form) · nl kwintessens (pure substance) · es quintaesencia (most perfect example of its type) · tr en mükemmel örnek (most perfect example of its type) · lt kvintesencija (most perfect example of its type) · fi syvin olemus (essence in its most pure and concentrated form) · yi קווינטעסענץ (most perfect example of its type) · de Quintessenz (most perfect example of its type) · ru квинтэссе́нция (most perfect example of its type) · hy բուն էություն (essence in its most pure and concentrated form) · kk түйін (essence in its most pure and concentrated form) · fr quintessence (most perfect example of its type) · pt quintessência (most perfect example of its type) · ka დედაარსი (essence in its most pure and concentrated form) · de Inbegriff (most perfect example of its type) · nl kwintessens (most perfect example of its type) · sv kvintessens (most perfect example of its type) · ia quintessentia (most perfect example of its type) · gl quintaesencia (essence in its most pure and concentrated form) · fi perikuva (most perfect example of its type) · yi עיקר (most perfect example of its type) · gl quintaesencia (most perfect example of its type) · cmn 精粹 (most perfect example of its type) · fi kvintessenssi (physics: hypothetical form of dark energy) · nl kwintessens (essence in its most pure and concentrated form) · hy քվինտ-էսենցիա (essence in its most pure and concentrated form)