Standard Lemma guide

quiddity

noun · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈkwɪdɪti/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The essence or inherent nature of a person or thing.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: human-sciences, philosophy, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A trifle; a nicety or quibble.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: law

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

An eccentricity; an odd feature.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

the essence that makes something the kind of thing it is and makes it different from any other

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: haecceity

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: kernel, substance, core, center, centre, essence, gist, heart, heart and soul, inwardness, marrow, meat, nub, pith, sum, nitty-gritty

5

noun

Meaning 5

an evasion of the point of an argument by raising irrelevant distinctions or objections

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: quibble, cavil

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: evasion, equivocation

History

Etymology

From Middle English quidite, from Old French quidité, and its source, Late Latin quidditās, from Latin quid (“what”) + -itas (“-ness”) (whence -ity).

Across languages

Translations

28 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: مَاهِيَّة (māhiyya) — essence
  • Armenian: էություն (ēutʻyun) — essence
  • French: essence — essence
  • French: quiddité — essence
  • Georgian: არსი (arsi) — essence
  • Georgian: დედაარსი (dedaarsi) — essence
  • Georgian: დედააზრი (dedaazri) — essence
  • Georgian: რაობა (raoba) — essence
  • Italian: quiddità — essence
  • Occitan: quidditat — essence
  • Occitan: quiditat — essence
  • Polish: esencja — essence
  • Polish: natura — essence
  • Romanian: quidditate — essence
  • Russian: су́щность (súščnostʹ) — essence
  • Russian: суть (sutʹ) — essence
  • Spanish: esencia — essence
  • Spanish: quiddidad — essence
  • Spanish: quididad — essence
  • Tagalog: kaitungaan — essence
  • French: excentricité — eccentricity
  • Polish: dziwactwo — eccentricity
  • Spanish: peculiaridad — eccentricity
  • French: bagatelle — trifle
  • French: broutille — trifle
  • Polish: bagatela — trifle
  • Polish: błahostka — trifle
  • Spanish: minucia — trifle
Real reading context

quiddity in complete knowledge articles