Synonyms of quintessence

quintessence

noun

kwin-ˈte-sᵊn(t)s 

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

• manifestation
• classic
• apotheosis
• ideal
• incarnation
• model
• perfection
• epitome
• acme
• zenith
• byword
• exemplar
• beau ideal
• prototype
• archetype
• paradigm
• personification
• height
• paragon
• avatar
• incorporation
• standard
• embodiment
• benchmark
• ultimate
• touchstone
• nonpareil
• criterion
• abstract
• last word
• meridian
• yardstick
• embodier

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

• essence
• nature
• substance
• soul
• manifestation
• being
• essentiality
• quiddity
• name of the game
• heart
• core
• spirit
• stuff
• aspect
• center
• incarnation
• personification
• property
• marrow
• attribute
• feature
• embodiment
• epitome
• kernel
• pith
• seat
• keynote
• gist
• alpha and omega
• nub

Example Sentences

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

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!