elegant

The word “elegant” means graceful and stylish in appearance or manner. In plain terms, tastefully graceful, or (for an idea or design) cleverly simple without losing accuracy.

“Elegant” is pronounced EH-luh-guhnt (/ˈɛləɡənt/ in IPA).

Here is “elegant” used in a sentence: “She wore an elegant gown to the gala.”

“Elegant” is an adjective.

The word “elegant” comes from Latin. From Middle French elegant, ultimately from Latin ēlegāns, related to ēligere ("to choose carefully") — the same root as "elect.".

“Elegant” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

“Elegant” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: graceful and stylish in appearance or manner.

Stylish means fashionable and in line with current trends, while elegant suggests a graceful, refined, and understated good taste that is not tied to passing fashion. Something elegant looks polished and effortless, whereas something stylish looks trendy.

Graceful describes smooth, attractive movement or form, while elegant combines that grace with refined style in appearance or manner. All elegant things have a sense of grace, but elegant adds an air of sophistication and good taste.

Yes. Beyond appearance, elegant can describe a solution, proof, or idea that is neatly and cleverly simple, achieving a lot with little complication. Scientists and mathematicians often call a concise, effective method "elegant."

Elegant commonly pairs with words such as elegant dress, elegant design, elegant solution, and elegantly simple. It is used to praise both physical appearance and clever simplicity.