epitome, perfect embodiment of; essence, basic nature; (Philosophy) fifth element, element thought to be the matter from which celestial objects are composed (during the Middle Ages)
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Quintessence Definition from Language, Idioms & Slang Dictionaries & Glossaries
(v. t.)
To distil or extract as a quintessence; to reduce to a quintessence.
To distil or extract as a quintessence; to reduce to a quintessence.
(n.)
The fifth or last and highest essence or power in a natural body. See Ferment oils, under Ferment.
The fifth or last and highest essence or power in a natural body. See Ferment oils, under Ferment.
(n.)
Hence: An extract from anything, containing its rarest virtue, or most subtle and essential constituent in a small quantity; pure or concentrated essence.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), edited by Noah Porter. AboutHence: An extract from anything, containing its rarest virtue, or most subtle and essential constituent in a small quantity; pure or concentrated essence.
quintessence
\quin*tes"sence\ (?), n. [f., fr. l. quinta essentia fifth essence. see quint, and essence.]
1. the fifth or last and highest essence or power in a natural body. see ferment oils, under ferment. [obs.]
note: the ancient greeks recognized four elements, fire, air, water, and earth. the pythagoreans added a fifth and called it nether, the fifth essence, which they said flew upward at creation and out of it the stars were made. the alchemists sometimes considered alcohol, or the ferment oils, as the fifth essence.
2. hence: an extract from anything, containing its rarest virtue, or most subtle and essential constituent in a small quantity; pure or concentrated essence. let there be light, said god; and forthwith light ethereal, first of things, quintessence pure, sprung from the deep.
quintessence
\quin*tes"sence\, v. t. to distil or extract as a quintessence; to reduce to a quintessence. [r.] "truth quintessenced and raised to the highest power." a. symonds.
quintessence
n
1. (archaic) the fifth and highest element after air and earth and fire and water; was believed to be the substance composing all heavenly bodies [syn: ether]
2. the purest and most concentrated essence of something
3. the most typical example or representative of a type
The most essential part of anything.
Noun
1. the fifth and highest element after air and earth and fire and water; was believed to be the substance composing all heavenly bodies
(synonym) ether
(hypernym) element
(classification) archaism, archaicism
2. the purest and most concentrated essence of something
(hypernym) kernel, substance, core, center, essence, gist, heart, heart and soul, inwardness, marrow, meat, nub, pith, sum, nitty-gritty
3. the most typical example or representative of a type
(hypernym) example, illustration, instance, representative
Quintessence Definition from Encyclopedia Dictionaries & Glossaries
Quintessence, literally fifth essence (from Latin quinta essentia), can refer to:
Science
- Aether (classical element), the fifth classical element after earth, fire, water, and air
- Quintessence (physics), a hypothetical form of dark energy; postulated to explain the accelerating universe
- An international publishing group of scientific journals
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