Make Your Point > Archived Issues > QUINTESSENTIAL
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pronounce
QUINTESSENTIAL:
Say it "KWIN tuh SEN chull."
To hear it, click here.
connect this word to others:
As we check out the beautiful word quintessential, see if you can recall a related word, one that also includes a Latin root meaning "five, or fifth:"
A quin____ is an arrangement of five things, with one at each corner of a square or rectangle, and one in the middle.
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
definition:
Our word "essence" comes from a Latin one meaning "being." Something's essence is what it is, or what it consists of. It's the core, the heart, the basics, the fundamental bits.
Centuries ago, medieval philosophers who categorized things into four "essences" (fire, water, earth, and air) also believed in a fifth, invisible, purest essence, which they called a "quintessence." (You'll recognize the "quint" bit here as meaning "five, or fifth," like in the words "quintet" and "quintuplets.")
Today, in general, the quintessence of something is the purest, most perfect, most essential part of it.
So, something quintessential is the most typical of its kind, the most perfect example of its kind, or the purest of its kind.
grammatical bits:
Part of speech:
Adjective: "Watermelon is the quintessential summertime snack."
Other forms:
Quintessence (or, if you prefer, "quintessentiality"), quintessentially.
how to use it:
Pick this semi-common word when you want to call special attention to just how classic or typical something is. The tone is often positive.
You might talk about some quintessential food, song, sport, belief, tradition, or type of person: "baseball, the quintessential American sport;" "Steve Castle, the quintessential '80s businessman."
examples:
"He was trim and clean-cut and swift. He was like a quintessentially slick salesman of his particular line of wares."
— Francis Hackett, The Invisible Censor, 1921
"Bernard saves Cody from the aforementioned crocodile trap by furiously riding in on a razorback pig he tamed with an animal-whispering technique. It's quintessential Disney: beautifully animated, exciting, and with just a dash of reckless child endangerment."
— Dominick Mayer, Time, 17 November 2014
has this page helped you understand "quintessential"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "quintessential" without saying "classic" or "perfectly typifying."
try it out:
In a review for the Netflix show "The Toys That Made Us," Stuart Heritage described He-Man as "the quintessential toy of [your] childhood," noting that its "colours and textures... were once your whole life."
That might actually be accurate for you, if you're of a certain age and, perhaps, gender. For me, My Little Ponies were the quintessential childhood toy. Their colors, their textures, and even their clean plastic smell bring me right back to prekindergarten bliss.
What, for you, was the quintessential toy of your childhood?
before you review, play:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
Our game this month is Subject Line Matching!
Try matching each capitalized term below with the email subject line that introduced it. You can check your answers by scrolling all the way down. For an extra challenge, try recalling what each term means and how the subject line connects to it. Have fun!
ANTHROPOCENTRIC: _____
HARBINGER: _____
RUMPELSTILTSKIN: _____
SACCHARINE: _____
SOIGNE: _____
har it comes
In a small-town snow globe refillery...
like an elegant swan? Yay: an aid to pronunciation
Never promise crazy a baby
why all Star Trek aliens are just us with bumpy foreheads
review this word:
1.
A near opposite of QUINTESSENTIAL is
A. ABERRANT: strange or unusual in a way that defies patterns or expectations.
B. CADENT: exhibiting a pleasant, rhythmic sound or movement.
C. FAINEANT: lazy, idle, or doing nothing.
2.
Quintessentially _____ items in your pantry might include _____.
A. priced .. olive oil and vanilla extract
B. American .. ketchup, beef jerky, and Corn Flakes
C. questionable .. misshapen Halloween candy from three years ago
a final word:
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love.
I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From my blog:
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.
Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.
Say it "KWIN tuh SEN chull."
As we check out the beautiful word quintessential, see if you can recall a related word, one that also includes a Latin root meaning "five, or fifth:"
Our word "essence" comes from a Latin one meaning "being." Something's essence is what it is, or what it consists of. It's the core, the heart, the basics, the fundamental bits.
Part of speech:
Pick this semi-common word when you want to call special attention to just how classic or typical something is. The tone is often positive.
"He was trim and clean-cut and swift. He was like a quintessentially slick salesman of his particular line of wares."
Explain the meaning of "quintessential" without saying "classic" or "perfectly typifying."
In a review for the Netflix show "The Toys That Made Us," Stuart Heritage described He-Man as "the quintessential toy of [your] childhood," noting that its "colours and textures... were once your whole life."
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
1.
A near opposite of QUINTESSENTIAL is
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love.
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