quiddity

From Middle French quiddité, and its source, Late Latin quidditas, from Latin quid + -itas.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈkwɪdɪti/

quiddity (plural quiddities)

1. (philosophy) The essence or inherent nature of a person or thing.
   • 1822, October, Charles Lamb, The Old Actors, published in London Magazine, section on “Mr. Munden” (ebook):

     A tub of butter, contemplated by him, amounts to a Platonic idea. He understands a leg of mutton in its quiddity. He stands wondering, amid the commonplace materials of life, like primæval man, with the sun and stars about him.

   • 1962, Vladimir Nabokov, Pale Fire:

     My vision reeked with truth. It had the tone,

     The quiddity and quaintness of its own

     Reality.

   • 1978, Lawrence Durrell, Livia, Faber & Faber 1992 (Avignon Quintet), p. 352:

     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.

2. (law) A trifle; a nicety or quibble.
3. An eccentricity; an odd feature.

• (essence): nature, quintessence, whatness; See also Thesaurus:essence

• (essence): quality

• quidditative

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