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quintessence

noun

kwin-ˈte-sᵊn(t)s How to pronounce quintessence (audio)
Definition of quintessencenext
1
as in manifestation
the most perfect type or example the Parthenon in Greece was considered the quintessence of the perfectly proportioned building

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in essence
the quality or qualities that make a thing what it is a selfless desire to help others is the quintessence of the virtue of charity

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of quintessence That’s partly because punk, with its assaultive immediacy and defiant not-niceness, now seems like the quintessence of the pre-digital world. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 24 July 2022 To some, quintessence was a subtle substance found in some degree in each of the other four elements. — Meg Neal, Popular Mechanics, 10 Feb. 2021 To test whether dark energy is caused by quintessence or the cosmological constant, scientists must determine whether the strength of dark energy has changed over time. — Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 1 Feb. 2021 But Frieman hopes new data may reveal something more exotic, such as a mysterious substance called quintessence, which some scientists have proposed could explain the accelerating expansion of the universe. — Ramin Skibba, Discover Magazine, 24 Jan. 2020 See All Example Sentences for quintessence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quintessence
  1. manifestation
  2. essence
  3. classic
  4. apotheosis
  5. ideal
  6. incarnation
  7. model
  8. perfection
Noun
  • The 1905 law explicitly mentions religious ceremonies, processions and other outdoor manifestations as subject to the ordinary rules governing public order.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Beale, his hands on his hips, turned to face Sigcho-Lopez in the latest manifestation of the bad blood underpinning the council’s deep philosophical divisions.
    — Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of manifestation
Noun
  • And as Markus said before, this character is an essence of hundreds of female characters from that time who chose this exact path, and their choices were very different from each other.
    — Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Though there are multiple interpretations of sharia, its essence is to serve as a code for how Muslims should live and worship — covering such matters as prayer, pilgrimages, fasting, charitable donations and personal virtue.
    — David Crary, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of essence
Noun
  • In the 1986 cult classic, a florist tries to balance a relationship and a man-eating plant.
    — John Coffren, Baltimore Sun, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Even after donning Marie Antoinette’s silk slippers in Sofia Coppola’s 2006 cult classic, Kirsten Dunst is still not immune to the pull of Versailles.
    — Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of classic
Noun
  • The story of theory, from its birth in France to its unlikely apotheosis in America, is a tale rich not just in ideas but—ironically, given the Frenchmen’s generally antihumanist stance—human drama.
    — Emily Eakin, Harpers Magazine, 28 July 2026
  • The millenia-old quest to control fire may be nearing its apotheosis as technology has finally come for some one of the oldest cooking techniques out there.
    — Noah Kaufman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 July 2026
Definition of apotheosis
Noun
  • The first statement is a far cry from anything one can imagine Mike Leigh saying; the second, at San Sebastián, felt a more universal ideal.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 26 Sep. 2026
  • The portrait seems to place her on a stage, where she is expected to embody beauty ideals, social expectations, and conventions of the elite society of her time.
    — Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of ideal
Noun
  • Emmy Award-winning game show host Newton, 56, hosted the Las Vegas incarnation, which was anchored from 2006 to 2013 at the former Bally’s Casino and Hotel property along the famed strip.
    — Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026
  • The result draws a through line between the song’s original live incarnation and its studio counterpart, while still giving listeners something new.
    — Alicia Urrea, Billboard, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of incarnation
Noun
  • The dine-in omakase counter has sadly departed, but in its stead, Café Sushi Shoten has adopted a to-go model paired with Japanese groceries and sundries that is no less authentic, engaging, and delicious.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Sep. 2026
  • In recent years, Hinton, who previously worked at Google, has issued a series of warnings about existential risks associated with AI, particularly if an AI model surpasses human intelligence and becomes autonomous.
    — Katie McQue, NPR, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of model
Noun
  • The 60-seat restaurant is known for its cooked-to-perfection aged steaks, seafood towers, classic cocktails and extensive wine list.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Could Kleist’s conjecture provide a key to their seeming vacancy, their resignation, their helplessness, suggesting that in their benighted condition lies spiritual perfection?
    — Matthew McLean, Artforum, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of perfection

Browse Nearby Words

quilts
quintessence
quintessences
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Cite this Entry

“Quintessence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quintessence. Accessed 1 Oct. 2026.

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