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qualities - 2 dictionary results

qual⋅i⋅ty

[kwol-i-tee] noun, plural -ties, adjective
–noun
1. an essential or distinctive characteristic, property, or attribute: the chemical qualities of alcohol.
2. character or nature, as belonging to or distinguishing a thing: the quality of a sound.
3. character with respect to fineness, or grade of excellence: food of poor quality; silks of fine quality.
4. high grade; superiority; excellence: wood grain of quality.
5. a personality or character trait: kindness is one of her many good qualities.
6. native excellence or superiority.
7. an accomplishment or attainment.
8. good or high social position: a man of quality.
9. the superiority or distinction associated with high social position.
10. Acoustics. the texture of a tone, dependent on its overtone content, that distinguishes it from others of the same pitch and loudness.
11. Phonetics. the tonal color, or timbre, that characterizes a particular vowel sound.
12. Logic. the character of a proposition as affirmative or negative.
13. Thermodynamics. the proportion or percentage of vapor in a mixture of liquid and vapor, as wet steam.
14. social status or position.
15. a person of high social position: He's quality, that one is.
–adjective
16. of or having superior quality: quality paper.
17. producing or providing products or services of high quality or merit: a quality publisher.
18. of or occupying high social status: a quality family.
19. marked by a concentrated expenditure of involvement, concern, or commitment: Counselors are urging that working parents try to spend more quality time with their children.

Origin:
1250–1300; ME qualite < OF < L quālitās, equiv. to quāl(is) of what sort + -itās -ity


qual⋅i⋅ty⋅less, adjective


1. trait, character, feature. Quality, attribute, property agree in meaning a particular characteristic (of a person or thing). A quality is a characteristic, innate or acquired, that, in some particular, determines the nature and behavior of a person or thing: naturalness as a quality; the quality of meat. An attribute was originally a quality attributed, usually to a person or something personified; more recently it has meant a fundamental or innate characteristic: an attribute of God; attributes of a logical mind. Property applies only to things; it means a characteristic belonging specifically in the constitution of, or found (invariably) in, the behavior of a thing: physical properties of uranium or of limestone. 3. nature, kind, grade, sort, condition.
qual·i·ty   (kwŏl'ĭ-tē)   
n.   pl. qual·i·ties
    1. An inherent or distinguishing characteristic; a property.
    2. A personal trait, especially a character trait: "The most vital quality a soldier can possess is self-confidence" (George S. Patton).
    3. Superiority of kind: an intellect of unquestioned quality.
    4. Degree or grade of excellence: yard goods of low quality.
    5. High social position.
    6. Those in a high social position.
  1. Essential character; nature: "The quality of mercy is not strain'd" (Shakespeare).
    1. Superiority of kind: an intellect of unquestioned quality.
    2. Degree or grade of excellence: yard goods of low quality.
    3. High social position.
    4. Those in a high social position.
    1. High social position.
    2. Those in a high social position.
  2. Music Timbre, as determined by harmonics: a voice with a distinctive metallic quality.
  3. Linguistics The character of a vowel sound determined by the size and shape of the oral cavity and the amount of resonance with which the sound is produced.
  4. Logic The positive or negative character of a proposition.
adj.  Having a high degree of excellence: the importance of quality health care.

[Middle English qualite, from Old French, from Latin quālitās, quālitāt-, from quālis, of what kind; see kwo- in Indo-European roots.]
Synonyms: These nouns signify a feature that distinguishes or identifies someone or something: explained the qualities of noble gases; tested the resilient property of rubber; knew the attributes of a fine wine; liked the rural character of the ranch; had positive traits such as kindness and generosity.
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