Exquisitenesses

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The state or quality of being extremely beautiful or delicate, often implying a sense of refined taste and elegance
2. A characteristic of possessing remarkable intricacies or details that are aesthetically pleasing
3. The attribute of producing profound admiration due to exceptional beauty or craftsmanship

Etymology: The plural "exquisitenesses" is the plural of "exquisiteness," which is simply "exquisite" with the suffix "-ness" attached. "Exquisite" itself came into English from Latin "exquisitus," meaning "sought out" or "searched for," from the verb "exquirere," "to search out," built from "ex-" ("out") and "quaerere" ("to seek"). So the core idea is something carefully sought and selected, which explains why the adjective came to describe things of rare, refined quality. The suffix "-ness" is an ancient English device. It traces back through Old English "-nes" to Proto-Germanic roots, and it has long been used to turn adjectives into nouns for states or qualities. Adding it to "exquisite" produces a noun for the quality of being exquisite, and the plural form pluralizes that quality, typically to refer to multiple distinct instances of it.

Synonyms: delicacies, fineness

Antonyms: coarseness, roughness