Elegant — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈe-li-gənt/ el·e·gant

Meaning & Definition of Elegant

Elegant (adjective)

  1. marked by elegance
  2. of a high grade or quality, splendid

Elegant (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. having or showing elegance

    "the most elegant First Lady in the nation's history"

    "the bride's elegant gown received nothing but praise"

    similar: classy, courtly, fine, graceful, handsome, majestic, refined, stately, tasteful
    related: august, baronial, gallant, glorious, grand, heroic, imposing, lavish, luxurious, magnificent, monumental, noble, ornate, proud, regal, rich, royal, splendid, superb, artful, genteel, polished, sophisticated, classic, conservative, exquisite, quiet, restrained, simple, understated, aristocratic, patrician, à la mode, chic, fashionable, in, modish, posh, sharp, sleek, smart, snappy, stylish, swagger, swank, affected, grandiose, ostentatious, pretentious, recherché
    opposite: dowdy, graceless, inelegant, styleless, tasteless, unfashionable, unhandsome, unstylish
    near: cheesy, coarse, crude, flamboyant, flashy, garish, gaudy, glitzy, grotesque, loud, raffish, splashy, tacky, tawdry, ticky-tacky, rough-edged, rough-hewn, rude, trashy, uncouth, uncultivated, uncultured, unpolished, unrefined, vulgar

  2. having qualities that appeal to a refined taste

    "prepared an elegant dinner for the honored guests"

    similar: choice, dainty, delicate, exquisite, fine, rare, recherché, select
    related: bijou, jewellike, better, exceptional, fancy, high-grade, special, elite, exclusive, classic, excellent, fabulous, first-class, first-rate, grand, great, marvelous, noble, outstanding, par excellence, premium, prime, sensational, splendid, stellar, sterling, superb, superior, superlative, supernal, terrific, tip-top, top, top-notch, transcendent, unsurpassed, wonderful, ultrarare
    near: coarse, gross, kitsch, kitschy, lowbrow, raffish, rough, rough-hewn, tasteless, uncultivated, uncultured, unpolished, unrefined, vulgar, commercial, mass-produced, popular, common, ordinary, average, lesser, mediocre, run-of-the-mill, run-of-the-mine, second-class, second-rate, deficient, inferior, low-grade, substandard, unacceptable, unsatisfactory, wanting

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Elegant

The most common words with a similar meaning to Elegant:

classy, courtly, fine, graceful, handsome, majestic, refined, stately, tasteful, choice, dainty, delicate, exquisite, rare, recherché, select

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Elegant

Words with the opposite meaning of Elegant:

dowdy, graceless, inelegant, styleless, tasteless, unfashionable, unhandsome, unstylish

Related Words for Elegant

august, baronial, gallant, glorious, grand, heroic, imposing, lavish, luxurious, magnificent, monumental, noble, ornate, proud, regal, rich, royal, splendid, superb, artful, genteel, polished, sophisticated, classic, conservative, quiet, restrained, simple, understated, aristocratic

Near Antonyms of Elegant

cheesy, coarse, crude, flamboyant, flashy, garish, gaudy, glitzy, grotesque, loud, raffish, splashy, tacky, tawdry, ticky-tacky, rough-edged, rough-hewn, rude, trashy, uncouth, uncultivated, uncultured, unpolished, unrefined, vulgar, gross, kitsch, kitschy, lowbrow, rough

Word Forms of Elegant

Derived words: elegantly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Elegant

Middle French or Latin; Middle French, from Latin elegant-, elegans; akin to Latin eligere to select elect

First known use: 15th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Elegant

Frequently Asked Questions about Elegant

What does "Elegant" mean?

"Elegant" means marked by elegance. As an adjective, it is defined as: marked by elegance. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Elegant"?

Other words for "Elegant" include classy, courtly, fine, graceful, handsome, majestic, refined and stately. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Elegant" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Elegant"?

There are 97 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Elegant". Common alternatives include classy, courtly, fine, graceful, handsome, majestic, refined, stately, tasteful and choice.

What is the opposite of "Elegant"?

Antonyms of "Elegant" include dowdy, graceless, inelegant, styleless, tasteless, unfashionable, unhandsome and unstylish. Near antonyms include cheesy, coarse, crude and flamboyant.

How do you use "Elegant" in a sentence?

Examples of "Elegant" in a sentence: "the most elegant First Lady in the nation's history"; "the bride's elegant gown received nothing but praise"; "prepared an elegant dinner for the honored guests".

Is "Elegant" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Elegant" is an adjective.

Is "Elegant" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Elegant" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.

How do you pronounce "Elegant"?

"Elegant" is pronounced /ˈe-li-gənt/ and divided into syllables as el·e·gant.