quintessential

Intermediatezipf 3.03

Pronunciation

/ˌkwɪntɪˈsɛnʃəl/(kwin-tih-SEN-shul)

Part of speech

adjectiveformal

Chinese

最典型的；精髓的；最完美的例子

Definition

Representing the most perfect or typical example of a quality or class.

Word family

  • quintessence/kwɪnˈtɛsəns/(n)精髓
  • quintessentially/ˌkwɪntɪˈsɛnʃəli/(adv)典型地

Collocations

  • quintessential example
  • quintessential British
  • quintessential summer
  • quintessentially American

Examples

  1. 1.Fish and chips is the quintessential British meal. (most typical)
  2. 2.She is the quintessential professional — always prepared, always polished. (perfect example)

Synonyms

  • archetypal/ˌɑːkɪˈtaɪpəl/— original model
  • definitive/dɪˈfɪnɪtɪv/— most authoritative
  • classic/ˈklæsɪk/— typical, timeless

Etymology

from "quinta essentia" = fifth essence — medieval philosophy believed there were four elements plus a fifth, purest element: the quintessence