the quintessence
noun
formal
1
: the most important part (of something)
The quintessence of music is the melody.
2
: the perfect example (of something)
He was the quintessence of calm.
Examples of the quintessence in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Trumpeter Miles Davis was the quintessence of cool.
—
Helena Alonso Paisley, Miami Herald, 4 Nov. 2025
Like the peregrine falcon, the cheetah, and the red ant, the mako is the quintessence of the species.
—Pat Smith, Outdoor Life, 24 July 2025
Romy Schneider, the quintessence of Austrian elegance, made her name playing Sissi in a 1950s trilogy.
—Steff Yotka, Vogue, 28 Apr. 2025
The raging, breakneck instrumentals and emotional vocals that are the quintessence of the band resonate perfectly with the anime’s story and the feelings of its main characters.
—Billboard Japan, Billboard, 23 Apr. 2025
There is nothing like Lindberg, a product that is the quintessence of luxury, in full titanium, the lightest in the market, with no screws.
—Luisa Zargani, WWD, 19 Dec. 2024
The rivalry of two magicians, one a man of the Enlightenment, the other the quintessence of the new spirit of Romanticism, set in a world where folklore and superstition speak eloquently of seismic cultural change.
—The Week Uk, theweek, 6 Dec. 2024
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Helena Alonso Paisley, Miami Herald, 4 Nov. 2025
Like the peregrine falcon, the cheetah, and the red ant, the mako is the quintessence of the species.
—Pat Smith, Outdoor Life, 24 July 2025
Romy Schneider, the quintessence of Austrian elegance, made her name playing Sissi in a 1950s trilogy.
—Steff Yotka, Vogue, 28 Apr. 2025
The raging, breakneck instrumentals and emotional vocals that are the quintessence of the band resonate perfectly with the anime’s story and the feelings of its main characters.
—Billboard Japan, Billboard, 23 Apr. 2025
There is nothing like Lindberg, a product that is the quintessence of luxury, in full titanium, the lightest in the market, with no screws.
—Luisa Zargani, WWD, 19 Dec. 2024
The rivalry of two magicians, one a man of the Enlightenment, the other the quintessence of the new spirit of Romanticism, set in a world where folklore and superstition speak eloquently of seismic cultural change.
—The Week Uk, theweek, 6 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“The quintessence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20quintessence. Accessed 30 Nov. 2025.
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