a. Forms: 5 ileȝant, 6 eligant, -aunt, elygant, 6– elegant. [a. F. élégant, ad. L. ēlegānt-em, usually regarded as pr. pple. of *ēlegāre (f. *ēleg-us adj.), related to ēligĕre to select.
The etymological sense is thus ‘choosing carefully or skilfully.’ In early Lat. elegans was a term of reproach, ‘dainty, fastidious, foppish,’ but in classical times it expressed the notions of refined luxury, graceful propriety, which are reproduced in the mod. Eng. use.]
1. Tastefully ornate in attire; sometimes in unfavorable sense: Dainty, foppish.
c. 1485. Digby Myst. (1882), III. 505. I woll, or even, be shavyn, for to seme ȝyng … that makyt me Ileȝant and lusty in lykyng.
1509. Barclay, Ship of Fooles (1570), 113. It is … not for man to be so elegant, To such toyes wanton women may encline.
1552. Huloet, Elegant person, philocalus.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., I. ii. III. vii. A woman if she see her neighbour more neat or elegant … is enraged.
1801. Mar. Edgeworth, Good Fr. Gov. (1832), 124. She is the elegantest dresser about town.
1882. trans. Challamet Hist. Fashion in France, i. An elegant town lady would … adorn herself with a mantle that half covered her.
2. Characterized by refined grace of form (usually as the result of art or culture); tastefully ornamental. Of physical movements: Graceful, free from awkwardness.
1658. W. Burton, Itin. Anton., 117. The Sixth Legion … left behind them here a remembrance of themselves, yet to be seen, in large and elegant Characters.
1684. Ray, Corr. (1848), 138. The Polypodium plumosum is an elegant plant.
1760. Goldsm., Cit. W., xiv. (1837), 53. Nothing is truly elegant but what unites use with beauty.
1774. T. Warton, Hist. Eng. Poetry (1840), II. 272. A most splendid and elegant manuscript on vellum.
1809. Roland, Fencing, 137. The passing of the sword to the left side … has rather a more open and elegant appearance.
† b. Of stature: in 16th c. with sense ‘tall.’
1513. Douglas, Æneis, VII. xiv. 10. Turnus … Enarmit walkis … Wyth corps of statur eligant [præstanti].
1450–1530. Myrr. Our Ladye, 7. That the sayd blessyd virgyne Katheryn because she was of an Eligant stature wold gather them of the sayd grapes.
3. Of modes of life, dwellings and their appointments, etc.: Characterized by refined luxury.
a. 1687. Petty, Pol. Arith., ii. (1690), 38. Beautifying the Country … by elegant Dyet, Apparrel, Furniture, [etc.].
1806. Gazetteer Scotl., 141. Dumfries-shire contains many elegant seats.
1822. De Quincey, Confess. (1862), 137. What he considered a really elegant dinner.
1835. Sir J. Ross, N.-West Pass., v. 66. An elegant repast of venison.
1859. W. Collins, Q. of Hearts (1873), 2. He felt languid pulses in elegant bedrooms.
4. Of composition, literary style, etc.; also of words or phrases: Characterized by grace and refinement; ‘pleasing by minuter beauties’ (J.).
Formerly used somewhat vaguely as a term of praise for literary style; from 18th c. it has tended more and more to exclude any notion of intensity or grandeur, and, when applied to compositions in which these qualities might be looked for, has a depreciatory sense.
1528. More, Heresyes, I. Wks. (1557), 174/2. The bokes neither lesse eligaunt nor lesse true.
1529. Rastell, Pastyme, Hist. Brit. (1811), 292. In a longe oracyon … with elygant wordes.
1649. Jer. Taylor, Gt. Exemp., III. xiv. 51. A most elegant and perswasive parable.
1672–5. Comber, Comp. Temple (1702), 23. Arnobius, an African, writ his elegant books against the Gentiles.
1756. J. Warton, Ess. Pope (1782), I. vi. 302. Addison has inserted … an elegant character of this poetess.
1791. Burke, Corr. (1844), III. 207. I thank you, too, for the elegant poem.
1841–4. Emerson, Ess., xx. Wks. (Bohn), I. 250. Pope’s Odyssey … is … correct and elegant.
1876. Freeman, Norm. Conq., V. xxv. 545. The love of hard words, of words which are thought to sound learned or elegant, that is … which are not thoroughly understood.
b. Of a speaker or author: Characterized by refinement and polish of style. (Formerly in wider use: see above.)
1641. Milton, Animadv. (1851), 189. They did no more then the elegantest Authors among the Greeks.
1672–5. Comber, Comp. Temple (1702), 44. The learned volumes of this Elegant Father [Chrysostom].
1887. Spectator, 6 Aug., 1057/2. Rogers belongs to the elegant order of poets.
5. Of scientific processes, contrivances, etc.: ‘Neat,’ pleasing by ingenious simplicity and effectiveness.
1668. Culpepper & Cole, Barthol. Anat., IV. ix. 166. An elegant Workmanship of Nature.
1803. Med. Jrnl., X. 336. Profound discoveries and elegant improvements in every branch of medical science.
1823. J. Badcock, Dom. Amusem., 198. An elegant cement may also be made from rice-flour.
1844–57. G. Bird, Urin. Deposits (ed. 5), 146. An elegant mode of showing the composition of the deposit.
Mod. An elegant chess problem. An elegant method of solving equations.
b. Of medicinal preparations: see quot.
1710. T. Fuller, Pharm. Extemp., 127. It [the Electuary] is an elegant Composition for a troublesome … Cough.
1788. V. Knox, Winter Even., I. vi. 67. The physicians call a medicine which contains efficient ingredients in a small volume, and of a pleasant or tolerable taste, an elegant medicine.
1868. Royle & Headland, Mat. Med. (ed. 5), 172. This elegant chalybeate has been long in use.
6. Of persons: Correct and delicate in taste. Now only in the phrase elegant scholar, which is influenced in meaning by 7.
1667. Milton, P. L., IX. 1018. Thou art exact of taste, And elegant.
1774. T. Warton, Hist. Eng. Poetry (1840), I. Diss. i. 19. A very … elegant enquirer into the genius … of the northern nations.
1788. V. Knox, Winter Even., II. ii. 118. An elegant spectator of the vegetable world.
1856. Emerson, Eng. Traits, xiv. Wks. (Bohn), II. 109. Mr. Hallam, a learned and elegant scholar.
b. Refined in manners and habits (formerly also, in feeling).
1712. Steele, Spect., No. 491, ¶ 2. An utter Stranger to the … Delicacies that attend the Passion … in elegant Minds.
1797. Mrs. Radcliffe, Italian, I. i. 3. Her features … expressed the tranquillity of an elegant mind.
1841–4. Emerson, Ess., xvi. Wks. (Bohn), I. 209. A sainted soul is always elegant.
1866. Geo. Eliot, F. Holt (1868), 26. Such a stock of ideas may be made to tell in elegant society.
7. Of pursuits, studies (formerly also, of sentiments): Graceful, polite, appropriate to persons of refinement and cultivated taste. Elegant arts: those pertaining to the adornment of life; nearly = ‘fine arts.’
1705. Pope, To Yng. Lady, 4. Trifles themselves are elegant in him.
1712. Steele, Spect., No. 466, ¶ 7. Every thing in Nature that can pretend to give elegant Delight.
1752. Hume, Ess. & Treat. (1777), I. 7. The ardours of a youthful appetite become an elegant passion.
1779. Johnson, L. P., Shenstone, Wks. IV. 215. Eminent for English poetry, and elegant literature.
1821. Craig, Lect. Drawing, i. 1. A high state of the elegant arts … is indicative of great advancement in civilization.
¶ 8. Vulgarly used for ‘excellent, first-rate’; in humorous literature sometimes as an ‘Irishism’ with spelling iligant.
1848. Bartlett, Dict. Amer., Elegant for excellent applied to articles of food and drink, is very common: as elegant water, elegant beef, elegant butter.
1888. Cornhill Mag., Sept., 277.
| An’ it looked an iligant counthry, an’ all in a glimmerin’ green, | |
| The colour o’ laves in the spring, with a thrimble o’ mist between. |
9. Comb.
1809. Han. More, Cœlebs, I. 38 (Jod.). Sir John is a valuable, elegant minded man.
Hence Elegantize v. trans. [see -IZE], to make elegant. Elegantish a. [see -ISH.], rather elegant.
1798. Lamb, Lett. to Southey, iv. 35. You might … elegantise this supersedeas.
1830. Fraser’s Mag., I. 568. What criticisms … have been put forth … in that elegantish … periodical!
