Quintessential

Meaning

Representing the most perfect or typical example of a quality or class.

Origin / Etymology

Latin quinta essentia (fifth essence), the purest element believed by medieval philosophers to compose celestial bodies

Synonyms

Archetypal Definitive Prototypical

Antonyms

Atypical Aberrant Uncharacteristic

Example Sentence

"Cooperative federalism, where the Centre and States jointly steer policy through bodies like the GST Council, is the quintessential expression of India's constitutional design."

🎯 UPSC Usage

Deploy in GS2 Polity and Essay answers to label a defining model or ideal-type example before analysing it.

Relevant Subjects

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