quintessence

n.

1. The pure, highly concentrated essence of a thing.
2. The purest or most typical instance: the quintessence of evil.
3. 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.

[Middle English, from Old French quinte essence, fifth essence, from Medieval Latin quīnta essentia (translation of Greek pemptē ousiā) : Latin quīnta, feminine of quīntus, fifth + Latin essentia, essence; see essence.]

(kwin-TES-ens)

noun
1. The pure, concentrated essence.
2. Most perfect embodiment of something.

Etymology
From Middle French quinte essence, from medieval Latin quinta essentia (fifth essence)

Greek philosophers before Aristotle reasoned that four elements comprised all matter: earth, air, fire, and water. Aristotle added a fifth element that he believed permeates all things and forms the substance of the heavenly bodies, which he called aither (our word ether). Ancient Greeks also referred to the aither of Aristotle as pémpte ousia, the fifth essence, a term which by loan translation became quinta essentia in Medieval Latin, and our word quintessence. The Indo-European root for quintessence is *penkwe-, which evolved into such words as finger, fist, foist, pentagon, pentathlon, pachisi, keno, Pentecost, and quinquagenarian.

Usage
"A fragrance may be a tool for invigorating the quintessence of what once joined the soul mates, if the other ingredients are present in the relationship." — Marilu Garrido; 'Romance' Finds Fashion Once Again; The News (Mexico City, Mexico); Dec 14, 1999. "`Corruption' as used by the Chief Justice captures the quintessence of the cancer afflicting the judicial system." — Ahumah Ocansey; The Case For Judicial Reform; The Ghanaian Chronicle (Accra, Ghana), Nov 5, 1999.

---

noun

1. The most central and material part: core, essence, gist, heart, kernel, marrow, meat, nub, pith, root¹, soul, spirit, stuff, substance. Law gravamen. See be.
2. A basic trait or set of traits that define and establish the character of something: being, essence, essentiality, nature, substance, texture. See surface/depth.

n

Definition: essence, core
Antonyms: extra

---

(Latin, the fifth essence) In Aristotle, the fifth element, distinct from earth, fire, air and water, exempt from change and decay, and found only in celestial bodies.

IN BRIEF: The most essential part of anything. Also: The most perfect type of something.

The earth is the very quintessence of the human condition. — Hannah Arendt (1906-1975)

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Dansk (Danish)
n. - kvintessens

Nederlands (Dutch)
kern, kwintessens, essentie, het beste

Français (French)
n. - parfait exemple, quintessence

Deutsch (German)
n. - Quintessenz, Kern, Extrakt

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - πεμπτουσία

Italiano (Italian)
quintessenza

Português (Portuguese)
n. - quinta-essência (f)

Русский (Russian)
квинтэссенция

Español (Spanish)
n. - quintaesencia

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - kvintessens, kärna, inbegrepp, korthand m fempar plus ett ess

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
精华, 第五元素, 典型

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 精華, 第五元素, 典型

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 정수, 본질, 전형, (고대 철학의) 제5원소

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 精, 第五元素

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) جوهر, مثالي‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮תמצית, דוגמה מושלמת, התגלמות, מופת, עיקר, היסוד החמישי (פילוסופיה של ימי-קדם)‬

If you are unable to view some languages clearly, click here.

To select your translation preferences click here.