Catholic Word of the Day: QUIDDITY, 03-24-14

CCDictionary ^ | 03-24-14 | from Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary

[Salvation]

Featured Term (selected at random:

QUIDDITY

 

The essence of anything, answering to the question "What is it?" In scholastic terminology it is the definition of something. (Etym. Latin quidditas, what a thing is, essence, so called because in answer to the question "Quid est res?" [What is a thing?], the essence of a thing is expected.)

See Also: ESSENCE

All items in this dictionary are from Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

[Salvation]

ESSENCE

 

What a thing is. The internal principle whereby a thing is what it is and not something else. Sometimes essence is said to be the same thing as being, but being merely, affirming that a thing is, without specifying its perfections. Essence is not quite the same as nature, which adds to essence the notion of activity, i.e., nature is the essence in action. Or again essence is substance, but not all essences are substantial because accidents also have an essence. (Etym. Latin essentia, essence, being.)

See Also: QUIDDITY

[Salvation]

Catholic Word of the Day Ping!

Nostra Aetate	Eubulia	Authority
Patrini	Soteriology	Remission of Sin
Jewish Decalogue	Theocracy	Marriage
Gift of Piety	Lough Derg	Vessel of Honor
Oil of Catechumens	Didache	Urbi et Orbi
Heroic Act	Quiddity

If you aren’t on this Catholic Word of the Day Ping list and would like to be, please send me a FReepmail.