quintessence: [15] Just as modern particle physicists search for the ultimate constituent of matter, the common denominator of all known forces, so medieval alchemists tried to find a fifth primary essence, which together with earth, air, fire, and water formed the substance of all heaven and earth. This fifth essence, higher and more ethereal than the other four, was postulated by Aristotle, who called it aithēr ‘either’.
Another Greek term for it was pemptē ousíā ‘fifth essence’, which was translated into medieval Latin as quinta essentia – whence, via French, English quintessence. The metaphorical sense ‘most perfect or characteristic embodiment’ began to emerge in the second half of the 16th century. Other English words based on quintus ‘fifth’, the ordinal form of Latin quinque ‘five’, include quintet [19] and quintuple [16].
quintessence (n.)
early 15c., in ancient and medieval philosophy, "pure essence, substance of which the heavenly bodies are composed," literally "fifth essence," from Middle French quinte essence (14c.), from Medieval Latin quinta essentia, from Latin quinta, fem. of quintus "fifth" (see quinque-) + essentia (see Parousia).
A loan-translation of Greek pempte ousia, the "ether" added by Aristotle to the four known elements (water, earth, fire, air) and said to permeate all things. Its extraction was one of the chief goals of alchemy. Sense of "purest essence" (of a situation, character, etc.) is first recorded 1580s.
双语例句
1. He was the quintessence of all that Eva most deeply loathed.
他是伊娃最深恶痛绝的那种人中的典型。
来自柯林斯例句
2. It was the quintessence of an English manor house.
那是典型的英式庄园宅第。
来自《权威词典》
3. John is the quintessence of good manners.
约翰是礼貌的典范.
来自《简明英汉词典》
4. Turning round to look at Gumo Ridge It'struck me as the quintessence of autumn.
天,也比以前更加高远一些.回头向古陌岭上望去,秋色更浓了.
来自汉英文学 - 现代散文
5. The theory of the dictatorship of the proletariat is the quintessence of Marxism.