From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Elegance \El"e*gance\, Elegancy \El"e*gan*cy\, n. [L. elegantia,
fr. elegans, -antis, elegant: cf. F. ['e]l['e]gance.]
1. The state or quality of being elegant; beauty as resulting
from choice qualities and the complete absence of what
deforms or impresses unpleasantly; grace given by art or
practice; fine polish; refinement; -- said of manners,
language, style, form, architecture, etc.
[1913 Webster]
That grace that elegance affords. --Drayton.
[1913 Webster]
The endearing elegance of female friendship.
--Johnson.
[1913 Webster]
A trait of native elegance, seldom seen in the
masculine character after childhood or early youth,
was shown in the General's fondness for the sight
and fragrance of flowers. --Hawthorne.
[1913 Webster]
2. That which is elegant; that which is tasteful and highly
attractive.
[1913 Webster]
The beautiful wildness of nature, without the nicer
elegancies of art. --Spectator.
Syn: {Elegance}, {Grace}. Elegance implies something of a
select style of beauty, which is usually produced by
art, skill, or training; as, elegance of manners,
composition, handwriting, etc.; elegant furniture; an
elegant house, etc. Grace, as the word is here used,
refers to bodily movements, and is a lower order of
beauty. It may be a natural gift; thus, the manners of a
peasant girl may be graceful, but can hardly be called
elegant.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
elegance
n 1: a refined quality of gracefulness and good taste; "she
conveys an aura of elegance and gentility" [ant:
{inelegance}]
2: a quality of neatness and ingenious simplicity in the
solution of a problem (especially in science or mathematics);
"the simplicity and elegance of his invention"
|
