noun
quintessence
kwin-TESS-unts/kwɪnˈtesns/
The purest expression of an essential nature.
The perfectly formed bloom seems the quintessence of a rose.
Etymology
The “fifth essence” was a pure, incorruptible substance beyond earth, water, air, and fire. Its supposed purity led to the figurative meaning of something’s most essential qualities, and thus its purest or most perfect example.
In context
And yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust?
More examples
- This tiny cabin is the quintessence of rustic simplicity.
- For him, fresh peaches capture the quintessence of summer.
- The novel distills the quintessence of small-town life.
Forms
quintessence · quintessences
quintessential adjective — Representing the purest example of something.