quintessence

== English == === Etymology === 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. === Pronunciation === enPR: kwĭn-tĕsʹ-əns, kwĭn-tĕsʹ-ĭns, IPA(key): /kwɪnˈtɛs.əns/, /kwɪnˈtɛs.ɪns/ === Noun === quintessence (countable and uncountable, plural quintessences) A thing that is the most perfect example of its type; the most perfect embodiment of something; epitome, prototype. Synonyms: see Thesaurus:model A pure substance. Synonyms: see Thesaurus:non-mixture (Can we add an example for this sense?) The essence of a thing in its purest and most concentrated form. Synonyms: see Thesaurus:gist (alchemy) The fifth alchemical element, or essence, after earth, air, fire, and water that fills the universe beyond the terrestrial sphere. Synonym: aether (physics) A hypothetical form of dark energy postulated to explain observations of an accelerating universe. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Verb === quintessence (third-person singular simple present quintessences, present participle quintessencing, simple past and past participle quintessenced) (transitive) To reduce to its purest and most concentrated essence. ==== Translations ==== ==== References ==== “quintessence”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC. Douglas Harper (2001–2026), “quintessence”, in Online Etymology Dictionary. “quintessence”, in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present. == French == === Etymology === Univerbation of quinte essence, itself borrowed from Medieval Latin quinta essentia. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /kɛ̃.tɛ.sɑ̃s/ ~ /kɛ̃.te.sɑ̃s/ === Noun === quintessence f (plural quintessences) quintessence (all senses) === Further reading === “quintessence”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012