Vocabulary Builder — Essay & Answer Writing
Quintessential
adjective
/ kwin-tuh-SEN-shuhl /
Medium
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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