Kai WrightHarvey SteimanJohn Steele GordonGeorge EliotLinda Rosenkrantz
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Quintessential and the Elements
The philosophers and scientists of the ancient world and the Middle Ages believed that the world we inhabit was entirely made up of four elements: earth, air, fire, and water. Aristotle added a fifth element, the aether or ether, by which he meant the material that fills the rest of space, mostly invisibly but sometimes taking the form of stars and planets. Many writers described the element as a kind of invisible light or fire. In the Middle Ages, it was referred to as the quinta essentia ("fifth element"). It isn't surprising that the quinta essentia came to stand for anything so perfect that it seemed to surpass the limitations of earth. Today we generally use quintessential rather freely to describe just about anything that represents the best of its kind.
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Examples of quintessential in a Sentence
Chelsea Davis, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024
Though their relationship is studded by space travel, climate change activism and yacht trips, Sánchez is taking time to enjoy the quintessential experiences of getting married.
—Rachel Raposas, People.com, 20 Nov. 2024
Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 29 June 2022
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“Quintessential.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quintessential. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
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