quintessence是什么意思？quintessence的意思翻译及词源和例句

GRE | 2024-11-27| 5

quintessence的读音及音标

英 [kwɪn'tes(ə)ns]
美 [kwɪn'tɛsns]

quintessence的意思翻译和解释

n. 精华；典范；第五元素（被视为地、水、火、风以外之构成宇宙的元素）

quintessence是什么意思？quintessence的意思翻译及词源和例句_http://www.kukuspeak.com_GRE_第1张

quintessence 第五要素，精华，精髓

quint-,五，essence,精华，实质。一种古代的物质观，世界由水，火，气，土四种基本要素组成，而第五要素则是将这四种要素有机组合的最重要因素，但是与这四种要素不同的是，第五要素是无形的。参照电影《第五要素》。

quintessence

quintessence: [15] Just as modern particle physicists search for the ultimate constituent of matter, the common denominator of all known forces, so medieval alchemists tried to find a fifth primary essence, which together with earth, air, fire, and water formed the substance of all heaven and earth. This fifth essence, higher and more ethereal than the other four, was postulated by Aristotle, who called it aithēr ‘either’.

Another Greek term for it was pemptē ousíā ‘fifth essence’, which was translated into medieval Latin as quinta essentia – whence, via French, English quintessence. The metaphorical sense ‘most perfect or characteristic embodiment’ began to emerge in the second half of the 16th century. Other English words based on quintus ‘fifth’, the ordinal form of Latin quinque ‘five’, include quintet [19] and quintuple [16].

quintessence (n.)

early 15c., in ancient and medieval philosophy, "pure essence, substance of which the heavenly bodies are composed," literally "fifth essence," from Middle French quinte essence (14c.), from Medieval Latin quinta essentia, from Latin quinta, fem. of quintus "fifth" (see quinque-) + essentia (see Parousia).

A loan-translation of Greek pempte ousia, the "ether" added by Aristotle to the four known elements (water, earth, fire, air) and said to permeate all things. Its extraction was one of the chief goals of alchemy. Sense of "purest essence" (of a situation, character, etc.) is first recorded 1580s.