3325英语网 单词

quiddity的意思

quiddity

英 ['kwɪdɪtɪ] 美 ['kwɪdɪti]
  • n. 本质;实质;诡辩;怪癖

quiddity

英文词源


quiddity (n.)
"a trifling nicety in argument, a quibble," 1530s, from Medieval Latin quidditas "the essence of things," in Scholastic philosophy, "that which distinguishes a thing from other things," literally "whatness," from Latin quid "what," neuter of indefinite pronoun quis "somebody, someone or other" (see who). Sense developed from scholastic disputes over the nature of things. Original classical meaning "real essence or nature of a thing" is attested in English from late 14c.