noun
quiddity
Quiddity (noun) means the fundamental character that makes a person or thing what it is.
noun
1
The fundamental character that makes a person or thing what it is.
"When I send a card, it has to be right. Something that sums up the essential quiddity of being me, right here, right now."
— The Big Issue, Melbourne (2023)
"He represented my quiddity I suppose – the part which, thanks to you, has converted a black pessimism about life into a belief in cosmic absurdity."
— Lawrence Durrell, Livia (Avignon Quintet) (1978)
"My vision reeked with truth. It had the tone, The quiddity and quaintness of its own Reality."
— Vladimir Nabokov, Pale Fire (1962)
2
A minor point of little importance, or a pedantic objection.
3
An unusual or quirky trait.
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Etymology
From Middle English quidite, from Old French quidité, and its source, Late Latin quidditās, from Latin quid (“what”) + -itas (“-ness”) (whence -ity).
Synonyms
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Rhymes for quiddity
See all rhymes for quiddity →Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of quiddity?
"quiddity" (noun) means the fundamental character that makes a person or thing what it is.
What is another word for quiddity?
Other words for "quiddity" include quibble, cavil, haecceity.
What are the different meanings of quiddity?
"quiddity" has 3 main meanings: 1. The fundamental character that makes a person or thing what it is; 2. A minor point of little importance, or a pedantic objection; 3. An unusual or quirky trait.
