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elegant

elegant

165 3.3
Having an attractive, stylish look that shows good taste
  • adjective
  • /ˈɛlɪɡənt/
translation icon : elegante
  • He always chose elegant furniture that added a touch of sophistication to his home.

It's not classy, it's not elegant, it's not manly.

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Examples

  • It's an elegant but edgy sort of look.

  • Simple, elegant, yet bold.

  • It's rather an elegant plan.

  • It's incredibly elegant and simple to make it work.

  • I love to create these very feminine, elegant yet powerful looks.

  • Dinner parties at his penthouse apartment were elegant affairs of good food and fine wines.

    Academic text (1992)
  • Crossing School Street, she entered the elegant, refurbished old City Hall building that housed Robert's office.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • She'd have a reputation as an elegant hostess in no time at all.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • It was a simple, basic, elegant, classy design.

  • The dress she wore to the gala was elegant and complemented her refined taste.

Synonyms

beautiful
vselegant
1.0

Pleasant to see, hear, or think about

adds a refined stylish quality beyond general sensory attractiveness
pretty
vselegant
1.0

Nice to look at in a gentle, simple way

is more pleasingly graceful and stylish rather than just delicate
stunning
vselegant
210 3.7

Very beautiful and impressive to look at

is less about shock and more about calm stylish grace
classy
vselegant
133 4.1

Being elegant and stylish and showing good taste

leans more toward graceful pleasing appearance than mere fashion
glamorous
vselegant
132 4.3

Looking stylish and exciting in a way that attracts attention

prefers quiet refined grace rather than overt excitement or romance
smart
vselegant
127 2.4

Looks neat, clean, and fashionable

leans more toward pleasing graceful style than just neatness
exquisite
vselegant
105 5.5

Very beautiful, delicate, and well made, like a piece of jewelry

is milder showing pleasing grace without extreme delicacy
graceful
vselegant
87 2.8

Movement that is smooth and attractive like a dancer or swan

focuses on stylish refined appearance rather than movement alone
stylish
vselegant
85 2.0

Clothes or rooms that look fashionable and attractive

focuses on graceful pleasing style rather than only current fashion
chic
vselegant
57 3.5

Elegant and fashionable in a simple, modern way

is more about graceful refined appearance than trendiness
tasteful
vselegant
41 3.9

Showing good style and polite manners

emphasizes graceful stylish appearance rather than judgment
sleek
vselegant
20 3.7

Having a neat, stylish appearance from careful grooming

focuses on pleasing graceful style rather than tight modern neatness
suave
vselegant
18 7.1

Confident and charming in a smooth, polite way, often about a man

emphasizes graceful tasteful appearance rather than social confidence
dressy
vselegant
12 3.6

Suitable for formal events like a wedding or party

describes general graceful stylishness not only attire for events
beauteous
vselegant
  • Archaic
5 9.9

Pleasant to look at, often in a gentle or graceful way

uses everyday refined taste and style rather than poetic beauty
refined
vselegant
  • Formal
4 4.1

Showing elegant, polite manners and good taste

focuses on pleasingly graceful appearance and stylish taste
ultrarefined
vselegant
8.1

Very elegant and cultured in style or manners

is milder showing pleasing grace rather than extreme sophistication

Antonyms

866 1.0

Not pleasant to look at

5 4.9

Not graceful or pleasing in style

Compounds

1 2.7

A formal, stylish dress worn for special events

elegant brodiaea
  • Specialized
9.9

A wildflower from western North America with violet or blue-violet flowers on a leafless stalk

elegant cat's ears
  • Specialized
9.9

A small plant with thin bent stems and white star-shaped flowers

elegant Habenaria
  • Specialized
9.9

A slender inland orchid with pale yellow-green flowers

How Elegant

glamorous
132 4.3
elegant
165 3.3
stylish
85 2.0
neat
144 1.0
plain
208 1.0

Surface Forms

elegant positive
eleganter comparative
elegantest superlative

Etymology

Elegant comes from the Latin word elegans, from elegere which means 'to choose' or 'pick out', and it shares the root with English words like elect and select. So an elegant outfit or design is something 'chosen' for its fine taste and graceful look.