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Glite Dictionary
first water

first water

8.6
The highest quality, like a perfect diamond
  • noun
  • Archaic
translation icon : de primera calidad
  • He was a bibliophile of the first water, always seeking out extraordinary and beautifully bound books.

Examples

  • Her pearls and diamonds were of the first water, and her gown was magnificent, a shining column of gold brocaded silk trimmed with gold lace and a gold brocaded train that was a full four feet long.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • That first water was quickly caught in a pot and distributed among the people present, like holy water at a temple.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • He was a bibliophile of the first water, and no man ever took more delight in finding an extraordinarily beautiful book for fifty cents.

    Academic text (2005)

  • "How can you have a mother as smashing as Meg—a beauty of the first water, a prima assoluta—only a few such ballerinas in the world one can say that of—and not mind?

    Fiction book (1992)

  • Her pearls and diamonds were of the first water, and her gown was magnificent, a shining column of gold brocaded silk trimmed with gold lace.

  • Her performance in the concert was of the first water, showcasing her exceptional talent and dedication to music.

Synonyms

first-class
vsfirst water
49 3.4

Of the highest quality and very good

is more specific, often referring to top grade especially for gemstones
of the first water
vsfirst water
  • Archaic
1 9.9

Of very high quality, like the best examples

has identical meaning but used especially for gemstones and rare items

Antonyms

inferior
63 3.7

Not as good in quality as something else

second-rate
23 4.4

Not as good as the best, often cheap or simple

How Fine

first water
  • Archaic
8.6
fine
∞ 1.0
second-rate
23 4.4
low quality
13 2.8

Surface Forms

first water singular
first waters plural

Morphology

first + water

Although 'first' signals highest rank and 'water' is a common noun, their combination does not transparently yield 'highest quality' to a B1 learner; the phrase is an idiomatic/archaised metaphor (originally referring to water of the purest clarity) that is not predictable from the literal meanings. Because the semantic link is historical and culturally specific rather than compositional, learners who know the parts but have not seen the phrase will not reliably infer its meaning.

Etymology

The noun first water may come from old jewellers' talk. People compared the clearest gems to very pure water and used first to mean the top kind, so the phrase came to mean 'the highest quality'.