Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adjective Characterized by or exhibiting refined, tasteful beauty of manner, form, or style. synonym: exquisite.
from The Century Dictionary.
- Having good or fine taste; nice in taste; fastidious; sensible to beauty or propriety; discriminating beauty from deformity or imperfection: said of persons.
- Polished; polite; refined; graceful: said of persons: as, an elegant lady or gentleman.
- Characterized by or pertaining to good taste; indicating a refined propriety of taste: as, elegant manners.
- Expressed with taste and neatness; correct and polished in expression or arrangement: as, an elegant style of composition; elegant speech.
- Pleasing to the eye by grace of form or delicacy of color; characterized by exquisiteness of design or fine taste; free from coarseness, blemish, or other defect; refined: as, an elegant figure; an elegant vase; an elegant structure.
- Pleasing to the mind, as exhibiting fine perception of what is required; calculated to effect its purpose with exceeding accuracy, delicacy, and neatness; exquisitely ingenious or appropriate: as, an elegant modification of a philosophical instrument; an elegant algebraical formula or mathematical demonstration; an elegant chess problem.
- Synonyms Elegant, Graceful, tasteful, courtly. Elegant implies that anything of an artificial character to which it is applied is the result of training and cultivation through the study of models or ideals of grace; graceful implies less of consciousness, and suggests often a natural gift. A rustic, uneducated girl may be naturally graceful, but not elegant. We speak of elegant manners, composition, furniture, taste, but of a graceful tree, fawn, child; the playful movements of a kitten may be graceful. See
beautiful .
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- adjective Very choice, and hence, pleasing to good taste; characterized by grace, propriety, and refinement, and the absence of every thing offensive; exciting admiration and approbation by symmetry, completeness, freedom from blemish, and the like; graceful; tasteful and highly attractive
- adjective Exercising a nice choice; discriminating beauty or sensitive to beauty.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective
Characterised by orexhibiting elegance . - adjective Characterised by
minimalism andintuitiveness while preservingexactness andprecision .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective displaying effortless beauty and simplicity in movement or execution
- adjective suggesting taste, ease, and wealth
- adjective refined and tasteful in appearance or behavior or style
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Support
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Examples
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"Nope; Nelly's an elegant name -- an _elegant_ name."
Our Mr. Wrenn, the Romantic Adventures of a Gentle Man Sinclair Lewis 1918
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Rad Hourani, a Syrian-born self-made designer who grew up in Quebec, also received attention last week with what he describes as his elegant "slick, modern, long, layered, timeless, genderless, seasonless" style.
Prune Perromat: WATCH: Intoxicating Pain: The New Design Gang at New York Fashion Week 2009
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Page 74 are made to excel in that department which lies between the sensuous and the intellectual -- what we call the elegant arts.
Dred; A Tale of the Great Dismal Swamp. In Two Volumes. Vol. II 1856
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He'd like to see more women in elegant heels, adorable flats or even classic American saddle shoes instead of the "clunky" platforms â his word â that have been so popular in recent seasons.
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This more masculine ensemble, while still elegant, is a fun departure from the brunette's closet of dresses.
Red Carpet Wrap: Hathaway, Hudson Fashion Battle At ‘Bride Wars’ Premiere » MTV Movies Blog 2009
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It allowed players to target virtual minarets in elegant Vienna and pastoral Alpine villages with a single word, "stop."
Anti-Muslim feelings propel right wing in Europe Anthony Faiola 2010
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It allowed players to target virtual minarets in elegant Vienna and pastoral Alpine villages with a single word, "stop."
Anti-Muslim feelings propel right wing in Europe Anthony Faiola 2010
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He'd like to see more women in elegant heels, adorable flats or even classic American saddle shoes instead of the "clunky" platforms – his word – that have been so popular in recent seasons.
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The house looks simple and elegant from the inside with the upper floor possessing sliding glass windows to enjoy the view outside.
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With a modern looking home decor accessories, you can add that certain elegant feel to the house and exude a more comfortable setting at home.
GHibbs commented on the word elegant
My original post was an implied question to which you have collectively given an answer that is 'no', thank you.
"In as much as the word includes the ideas of the 'processes and results of' being pleasing to the eye, it also seems to have a use as a singular noun. 'She is elegant!'"
November 6, 2011
sionnach commented on the word elegant
Oh, for goodness sake, dear GHibbs. Do you not know the difference between a noun and an adjective?
November 6, 2011
rolig commented on the word elegant
Apparently not. There is something rather sad about GHibbs's postings.
November 6, 2011
leaden commented on the word elegant
Perhaps she or he meant “an elephant” (and speaks as a first language one lacking articles).
November 6, 2011
ruzuzu commented on the word elegant
Some of my favorite jokes are about elegance. How do you stop a charging elegant?*
*This joke would also work for sophisticates or aristocrats.
November 6, 2011
leaden commented on the word elegant
You take away its debonair card?
November 6, 2011
ruzuzu commented on the word elegant
Yes--especially if the card is from Chase Bank.
November 6, 2011
countmeblue commented on the word elegant
classy
November 7, 2011
bilby commented on the word elegant
My what elegant dung, ruzuzu.
November 7, 2011
ruzuzu commented on the word elegant
*curtsies*
November 7, 2011
sionnach commented on the word elegant
Sorry for any testiness in my response, GHibbs. Please keep on posting!
November 7, 2011