Posted on 03/01/2006 6:08:32 AM PST by VRWCmember
In order that we might all raise the level of discourse and expand our language abilities, here is the daily post of "Word for the Day".
quintessence • \kwin-TESS-unss\ • noun
1. the fifth and highest element in ancient and medieval philosophy that permeates all nature and is the substance composing the celestial bodies
2. the essence of a thing in its purest and most concentrated form *
3. the most typical example or representative
* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
Other forms:
quin·tes·sen·tial /"kwin-t&-'sen(t)-sh&l/ adjective
quin·tes·sen·tial·ly adverb
Example sentence:
"Do not shorten the morning by getting up late; look upon it as the quintessence of life, as to a certain extent sacred." (Arthur Schopenhauer, Counsels and Maxims)
Did you know?
Long ago, when people believed that the earth was made up of four elements -— earth, air, fire, and water —- they thought the stars and planets were made up of yet another element. In the Middle Ages, people called this element by its Medieval Latin name, "quinta essentia," literally, "fifth essence." Our forebears believed the quinta essentia was essential to all kinds of matter, and if they could somehow isolate it, it would cure all disease. We have since given up on that idea, but we kept "quintessence," the offspring of "quinta essentia," as a word for the purest essence of a thing. Modern physicists have given "quintessence" a new twist—they use it for a form of so-called "dark energy," which is believed to make up 70 percent of the universe.
Rules: Everyone must leave a post using the Word for the Day in a sentence.
The sentence must, in some way, relate to the news of the day.
The Review threads are linked for your edification. ;-)
Practice makes perfect.....post on....
Review Threads:
Review Thread One: Word For The Day, Thursday 11/14/02: Raffish (Be SURE to check out posts #92 and #111 on this thread!)
Review Thread Two: Word For The Day, Tuesday 1/14/03: Roister
Review Thread Three: Word For The Day, Tuesday 1/28/03: Obdurate
Review Thread Four: Word For the Day, Friday 7/25/03: Potation
Review Thread Five: Word For the Day, Monday 8/19/03: Stolid
Review Thread Six: Word for the Day, Tuesday 11/09/2004: Peripatetic (Post #125 may be my best anagram post ever)
KLO asks the important question
"CAN I SAY "GORBASM" ON ASH WEDNESDAY? [Kathryn Jean Lopez]
The AP's in love: "Mikhail Gorbachev's magnetic brown eyes shine as brightly as ever, and he speaks with the same passion about the collapse of the Soviet Union as he prepares to mark his 75th birthday on Thursday."
Thanks. I'll post a better pic of the baby tomorrow.
They're still in love with ol' maphead? Sheesh.
I was LMAO when I read that-I'd have loved to have seen that teacher's face when he got busted.
Hi Vast. Busy here. Spring chores and school and a bit of travel. How are you?
Good song...my son will love it.
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