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elegant
/ˈɛlɪɡənt/
gracefully stylish
She wore an elegant black dress to the gala.
The dress was stylish and sophisticated, showing careful attention to detail.
formal
pleasingly graceful and stylish in appearance or manner
The ballroom was decorated with elegant chandeliers and fine china.
The decorations were tastefully luxurious and well-chosen.
Often describes people, clothing, or designs that are sophisticated without being overly flashy.
Engineering
technical
simple and effective, with no unnecessary elements
The engineer proposed an elegant solution to the problem, using minimal components.
The solution was efficient and effective, avoiding unnecessary complexity.
In technical contexts, emphasizes efficiency and minimalism in design or problem-solving.
Collocations
elegant designa design that is stylish and functionalelegant solutiona solution that is simple and effectiveelegant mannera graceful and refined way of behaving
Pro Tip
Avoid overusing 'elegant'
While 'elegant' is a strong adjective, it can sound pretentious if overused. Reserve it for situations where true sophistication is present.
Gold Rule
Elegance vs. flashiness
Elegance is about subtlety and refinement; flashiness is about attention-grabbing excess. Use 'elegant' only for the former.
Word Origin
From Latin *elegans*, present participle of *elegere* (to choose, select), from *ex-* (out) + *legere* (to pick). The sense of refined taste emerged in the 16th century.
Usage Notes
Used to describe both physical appearance (e.g., clothing, architecture) and abstract qualities (e.g., solutions, writing). Avoid using it for overly flashy or showy things, as elegance implies understated sophistication.
Word Breakdown
e-
out
prefix-leg-
choose
root-ant
adjective-forming suffix
suffixEnglish Dictionary