quintessences

Noun

quintessence (countable and uncountable, plural quintessences)

1. A thing that is the most perfect example of its type; the most perfect embodiment of something; epitome, prototype.
   • As families and kindreds sometimes do; producing, after long ages of unnoted notability, some living quintescence of all the qualities they had, to flame forth as a man world-noted […]1837, Thomas Carlyle, The French Revolution: A History […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: Chapman and Hall, →OCLC, (please specify the book or page number)

   Synonyms:

   archetype, epitome, example, exemplar, icon, model, paradigm, paragon, pattern, template

2. A pure substance.

   Synonyms:

   distillation, simple

3. The essence of a thing in its purest and most concentrated form.
   • For vvhat is ſilke but eu'n a Quinteſſence, / Made vvithout hands beyond al humane ſenſe? / A quinteſſence? nay vvel it may be call'd, / A deathleſſe tincture, ſent vs from the skies, / VVhoſe colour ſtands, vvhose gloſſe is ne're appalld, […]1599, T[homas] M[offett], The Silkewormes, and Their Flies: […], London: […] V[alentine] S[immes] for Nicholas Ling, […], →OCLC, pages 67–68

   Synonyms:

   bowels, sum, brass tacks, core, crux, essence, gist, drift, guts, gravamen

4. The fifth alchemical element, or essence, after earth, air, fire, and water that fills the universe beyond the terrestrial sphere.

   Synonyms:

   aether

5. A hypothetical form of dark energy postulated to explain observations of an accelerating universe.

See all 6 meanings of quintessence