quintessence
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++quin·tes·sence /kwɪnˈtesəns/ noun the quintessence of something formalEXAMPLE a perfect example of something 某事物的典范 John is the quintessence of good manners. 约翰彬彬有礼，堪称典范。
Examples from the Corpus
quintessence• Mercury was believed to possess magical properties and some regarded it as the quintessence of the human body and of all substances.• Newell and Simon wanted to know how our brains and minds function; they wanted to discover the quintessence of intelligence.• Consciousness rather than inanimate matter is the quintessence of his natural world.• Well, she thought the caravan was the quintessence of OK-ness.Origin quintessence (1400-1500) Old French quinte essence, from Medieval Latin quinta essentia “fifth essence”; because it was in addition to the four elements earth, air, fire, and waterquin·tes·sence nounChineseSyllable
Corpus of something example a perfect
quintessence
quin‧tes‧sence /kwɪnˈtesəns/
noun
John is the quintessence of good manners.
quin‧tes‧sence /kwɪnˈtesəns/
noun Date: 1400-1500
Language: Old French
Origin: quinte essence, from Medieval Latin quinta essentia __fifth essence__; because it was in addition to the four elements earth, air, fire, and water
the quintessence of something formal a perfect example of something:Language: Old French
Origin: quinte essence, from Medieval Latin quinta essentia __fifth essence__; because it was in addition to the four elements earth, air, fire, and water