Definition
Representing the most perfect or typical example of a quality or class; the pure, concentrated essence of something. The absolute ideal that defines a category.
Etymology
From medieval Latin quinta essentia — the 'fifth essence.' Ancient philosophers believed four elements (earth, air, fire, water) made up the earthly realm, but the heavens contained a fifth, perfect element. This quintessence was pure, unchanging, divine — the stuff of stars and angels.
Kelly Says
This word has the most mind-blowing origin! Medieval philosophers looked at the stars and decided they must be made of a fifth element — beyond earth, air, fire, and water — something absolutely perfect and divine. They called it quintessence, and now when we say someone is 'quintessentially British' or describe the 'quintessential summer day,' we're saying they're made of that same perfect, heavenly stuff! We're still using star-language to describe earthly perfection!
Translations
AMአማርኛ
quintessential
kin-ten-see-en-sial
ARالعربية
الجوهرية
al-jawhariyya
BNবাংলা
quintessential
kin-ten-see-en-sial
CACatalà
quintessential
kin-ten-see-en-sial
CSČeština
quintessential
kin-ten-see-en-sial
DADansk
quintessential
kin-ten-see-en-sial
DEDeutsch
quintessenziell
kin-ten-see-el
ELΕλληνικά
quintessential
kin-ten-see-en-sial
ESEspañol
quintessencial
kin-ten-see-al
FAفارسی
quintessential
kin-ten-see-en-sial
FISuomi
quintessential
kin-ten-see-en-sial
FRFrançais
quintessentiel
kin-tes-en-sel
GUGU
quintessential
kin-ten-see-en-sial
HAHA
quintessential
kin-ten-see-en-sial
HEעברית
quintessential
kin-ten-see-en-sial
HUMagyar
quintessential
kin-ten-see-en-sial
IDBahasa Indonesia
quintessensial
kin-ten-see-en-sial
IGIG
quintessential
kin-ten-see-en-sial
ITItaliano
quintessenziale
kin-ten-see-en-zal
KKKK
quintessential
kin-ten-see-en-sial
KMKM
quintessential
kin-ten-see-en-sial
MRMR
quintessential
kin-ten-see-en-sial
MSBahasa Melayu
quintessential
kin-ten-see-en-sial
MYမြန်မာ
quintessential
kin-ten-see-en-sial
NLNederlands
quintessensiel
kin-ten-see-el
NONorsk
quintessential
kin-ten-see-en-sial
PAPA
quintessential
kin-ten-see-en-sial
PLPolski
quintessential
kin-ten-see-en-sial
PTPortuguês
quintessencial
kin-ten-see-al
RORomână
quintessential
kin-ten-see-en-sial
RUРусский
quintessential
kvin-ten-see-en-sial
SVSvenska
quintessential
kin-ten-see-en-sial
SWKiswahili
quintessential
kin-ten-see-en-sial
TAதமிழ்
quintessential
kin-ten-see-en-sial
TEతెలుగు
quintessential
kin-ten-see-en-sial
THไทย
quintessential
kin-ten-see-en-sial
TLTL
quintessential
kin-ten-see-en-sial
TRTürkçe
quintessensial
kin-ten-see-al
UKУкраїнська
quintessential
kin-ten-see-en-sial
URاردو
quintessential
kin-ten-see-en-sial
VITiếng Việt
quintessential
kin-ten-see-en-sial
YOYO
quintessential
kin-ten-see-en-sial
ZH中文
quintessential
qín-tè-sēn-shí-yǎn
ZUZU
quintessential
kin-ten-see-en-sial