| Flashcards: Latin Derivatives |
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quintessence
1) the purest form of some quality; 2) in ancient philosophy, the fifth substance, the substance of which the heavenly bodies were made, distinguished from the four elements of fire, water, air, and earth
Many people believe that the so-called golden rule, "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you," expresses the quintessence of virtuous living.
Related English word: quintessential.
Latin root words: quintus, quinta, quintum - fifth; essentia, essentiae, f. - essence |