English vocabulary · C2
Quiddity
/ˈkwɪd.ə.t̬i/ · n.
Quiddity is what makes a thing truly itself, not something else. Small details may change, but its deepest qualities stay the same.
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Example sentences
- The portrait caught her quiddity.
- Changes left its quiddity intact.
Word origin and roots
from Latin
- quidditas — essence (from Latin)
Synonyms and nuances
- ESSENCE — most basic quality (Deepest Part)
- CORE — most important part (Central Truth)
- NATURE — what something is like (Basic Character)
Similar words
- essence
- core
- nature
- identity
- character
Lesson notes
Quiddity is what makes a thing truly itself, not something else. Small details may change, but its deepest qualities stay the same.
Related: essence, core, nature. Use quiddity when true essence matters.
The portrait caught her quiddity. Changes left its quiddity intact.
From Latin. Quidditas- means essence. Essence makes a thing truly what it is. That is quiddity.