Elegant

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈɛl.ə.ɡənt/

Definitions

1. Characterized by graceful refinement, tasteful simplicity, and dignified beauty in appearance, manner, or design
2. Marked by a refined and graceful quality that emphasizes tastefulness and beauty in form, style, or manner
3. Exhibiting a pleasingly subtle charm that combines simplicity with aesthetic sophistication in various contexts

Etymology: The Latin "ēlegāns" was built on the verb "ēligere," meaning "to pick out," from "ex-" ("out of") plus "legere" ("to choose"). So at its root, elegance is a matter of selection: something elegant is something that has been carefully chosen out of a larger field. The same verb gave us "eligible" and "election," and the sense of discernment hidden in "choose" is still present when we call a dress or a solution elegant. The word reached English in the Late Middle Ages as "elegaunt," borrowed through Old French "elegant." Its early uses carried the sense of being refined or fastidious in taste, and the meaning of simplicity that now sits beside grace came later, as the idea of a well-chosen, uncluttered form became attached to the word.

Synonyms: graceful, stylish, refined, sophisticated, chic

Antonyms: clumsy, awkward, unrefined