quintessence

Quintessence is someone or something that is a classic example of a characteristic or persona.

(noun)

When a person is a classic example of someone who is polite, this is an example of a person who is thequintessence of good manners.

See quintessence in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

in ancient and medieval philosophy, the fifth essence, or ultimate substance, of which the heavenly bodies were thought to be composed: distinguished from the four elements (air, fire, water, and earth)
the pure, concentrated essence of anything
the most nearly perfect manifestation of a quality or thing

Origin: ME quyntencense < MFr quinte essence < ML quinta essentia

Related Forms:

See quintessence in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

The pure, highly concentrated essence of a thing.
The purest or most typical instance: the quintessence of evil.
In ancient and medieval philosophy, the fifth and highest essence after the four elements of earth, air, fire, and water, thought to be the substance of the heavenly bodies and latent in all things.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English

Origin: , from Old French quinte essence, fifth essence

Origin: , from Medieval Latin quīnta essentia (translation of Greek pemptē ousiā)

Origin: : Latin quīnta

Origin: , feminine of quīntus, fifth; see penk^we in Indo-European roots

Origin: + Latin essentia, essence; see essence

Learn more about quintessence

quintessence synonyms

quintessence in a sentence

quintessence quotes

link/cite print suggestion box