exquisitely

[ik-skwiz-it, ek-skwi-zit]

ex·quis·ite

[ik-skwiz-it, ek-skwi-zit]
adjective
1.
of special beauty or charm, or rare and appealing excellence, as a face, a flower, coloring, music, or poetry.
2.
extraordinarily fine or admirable; consummate: exquisite weather.
3.
intense; acute, or keen, as pleasure or pain.
4.
of rare excellence of production or execution, as works of art or workmanship: the exquisite statues of the Renaissance.
5.
keenly or delicately sensitive or responsive: an exquisite ear for music; an exquisite sensibility.
EXPAND
6.
of particular refinement or elegance, as taste, manners, etc., or persons.
7.
carefully sought out, chosen, ascertained, devised, etc.
COLLAPSE
noun
8.
Archaic. a person, especially a man, who is excessively concerned about clothes, grooming, etc.; dandy; coxcomb.

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Exquisitely is always a great word to know.
So is slumgullion. Does it mean:
a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc.
a gadget; dingus; thingumbob.

Origin:
1400–50; late Middle English < Latin exquīsītus meticulous, chosen with care, orig. past participle of exquīrere to ask about, examine = ex- ex-1 + -quīrere, combining form of quaerere to seek

ex·quis·ite·ly, adverb
ex·quis·ite·ness, noun
o·ver·ex·quis·ite, adjective
su·per·ex·qui·site, adjective
su·per·ex·qui·site·ly, adverb
EXPAND
su·per·ex·qui·site·ness, noun
COLLAPSE


1. dainty, beautiful, elegant, rare. See delicate. 2. perfect, matchless. See fine1 3. poignant. 4. select, choice, precious. 6. discriminating.


1. gross. 2. ordinary. 3. dull.


The pronunciation of exquisite has undergone a rapid change from [ek-skwi-zit] to [ik-skwiz-it], with stress shifting to the second syllable. The newer pronunciation is still criticized by some, but is now more common in both the U.S. and England, and many younger educated speakers are not even aware of the older one. See harass.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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World English Dictionary
exquisite (ɪkˈskwɪzɪt, ˈɛkskwɪzɪt)
 
adj
1.  possessing qualities of unusual delicacy and fine craftsmanship: jewels in an exquisite setting
2.  extremely beautiful and pleasing: an exquisite face
3.  outstanding or excellent: an exquisite victory
4.  sensitive; discriminating: exquisite taste
5.  fastidious and refined
6.  intense or sharp in feeling: exquisite pleasure; exquisite pain
 
n
7.  obsolete a dandy
 
[C15: from Latin exquīsītus excellent, from exquīrere to search out, from quaerere to seek]
 
ex'quisitely
 
adv
 
ex'quisiteness
 
n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
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