exquisite
[ ik-skwiz-it, ek-skwi-zit ]
/ ɪkˈskwɪz ɪt, ˈɛk skwɪ zɪt /
adjective
noun
Archaic.
a person, especially a man, who is excessively concerned about clothes, grooming, etc.; dandy; coxcomb.
Origin of exquisite
1400–50; late Middle English < Latin
exquīsītus meticulous, chosen with care, originally past participle of
exquīrere to ask about, examine, equivalent to
ex-
ex-1 +
-quīrere, combining form of
quaerere to seek
SYNONYMS FOR exquisite
3
poignant.
pronunciation note for exquisite
The pronunciation of
exquisite has undergone a rapid change from
[ek-skwi-zit] /ˈɛk skwɪ zɪt/ to
[ik-skwiz-it] /ɪkˈskwɪz ɪt/, with stress shifting to the second syllable. The newer pronunciation is still criticized by some, but is now more common in both the U.S. and England, and many younger educated speakers are not even aware of the older one. See
harass.
OTHER WORDS FROM exquisite
Words nearby exquisite
expunge,
expurgate,
expurgatorial,
expurgatory,
expwy,
exquisite,
exr,
exr.,
exsanguinate,
exsanguine,
exscind
Example sentences from the Web for exquisitely
British Dictionary definitions for exquisitely
exquisite
/ (ɪkˈskwɪzɪt, ˈɛkskwɪzɪt) /
adjective
noun
obsolete
a dandy
Derived forms of exquisite
exquisitely, adverb exquisiteness, nounWord Origin for exquisite
C15: from Latin
exquīsītus excellent, from
exquīrere to search out, from
quaerere to seek
Medical definitions for exquisitely
exquisite
[ ĕk′skwĭ-zĭt, ĭk-skwĭz′ĭt ]
n.
Extremely intense, keen, or sharp. Used of pain or tenderness.