Nearby Words
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.
EXPANDkeenly or delicately sensitive or responsive: an exquisite ear for music; an exquisite sensibility.
6.
of particular refinement or elegance, as taste, manners, etc., or persons.
7.
COLLAPSEcarefully sought out, chosen, ascertained, devised, etc.
noun
8.
Archaic. a person, especially a man, who is excessively concerned about clothes, grooming, etc.; dandy; coxcomb.
:10
:09
:08
:07
:06
:05
:04
:03
:02
:01
Exquisiteness
is always a great word to know.
So is zedonk. Does it mean:
| a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes. |
| the offspring of a zebra and a donkey. |
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
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
Related forms
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
EXPANDsu·per·ex·qui·site·ness, noun
COLLAPSESynonyms
1. dainty, beautiful, elegant, rare. See delicate. 2. perfect, matchless. See fine1 3. poignant. 4. select, choice, precious. 6. discriminating.
1. dainty, beautiful, elegant, rare. See delicate. 2. perfect, matchless. See fine1 3. poignant. 4. select, choice, precious. 6. discriminating.
Antonyms
1. gross. 2. ordinary. 3. dull.
1. gross. 2. ordinary. 3. dull.
Pronunciation note
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.
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.
Cite This Source
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source
|
Link To exquisiteness
Collins
World English Dictionary
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
exquisite
early 15c., "carefully selected," from L. exquisitus "carefully sought out," thus, "choice," from pp. of exquirere "search out," from ex- "out" + quærere "to seek" (see query). A vogue word 15c.-18c., given wide extensions of meaning, none of which survive. The main
EXPAND modern sense of "of consummate and delightful excellence" is first attested 1579, in Lyly's "Euphues." Related: Exquisitely.
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Medical Dictionary
exquisite ex·qui·site (ěk'skwĭ-zĭt, ĭk-skwĭz'ĭt)
n.
Extremely intense, keen, or sharp. Used of pain or tenderness.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
Word Dynamo By Dictionary.com
Dictionary.com, LLC. Copyright © 2012. All rights reserved.