elegance

elegance — noun

1. a graceful, stylish quality of movement, appearance, or behaviour that makes som

1.nounB2
Definition

a graceful, stylish quality of movement, appearance, or behaviour that makes someone or something attractive to look at or be with.

Example

Devika moved across the dance floor with the natural elegance of a trained ballet dancer.

collocation: natural elegance

The simple white dress had a quiet elegance that made it perfect for the wedding.

collocation: quiet elegance

Common collocations
  • natural elegance
  • quiet elegance
  • understated elegance
  • simple elegance
  • classical elegance
  • graceful elegance
Synonyms
  • grace

    emphasises smoothness of movement or form; elegance adds a sense of refined taste

  • refinement

    focuses on cultivated, polished manners or taste; elegance can be more natural

  • sophistication

    can imply worldliness or complexity; elegance suggests restrained good taste

  • style

    broader — any distinctive manner or way of presenting oneself; elegance specifically implies tastefulness

Antonyms
  • clumsiness

    the opposite of graceful movement or behaviour

  • gaudiness

    excessive showiness that lacks the restraint of elegance

Grammar Patterns

elegance + of + something

adjective + elegance

Usage Note

Often used with adjectives like quiet, natural, understated, or classical. The noun is uncountable — you cannot say 'an elegance' or 'elegances.'

Common Mistakes

She has an elegance of style.
She has an elegant style.
'elegance' is a quality noun; the adjective 'elegant' sounds more natural before a noun.

2. a quality of being smartly designed or thought out, so that a plan, idea, or tec

2.nounC1
Definition

a quality of being smartly designed or thought out, so that a plan, idea, or technical solution solves a problem in a surprisingly simple and effective way.

Example

The elegance of Haruto's solution was that it used only three lines of code.

elegance + of + [abstract: solution]

Darius admired the elegance of the architect's design — one simple curve solved the weight problem.

elegance + of + [design]

Common collocations
  • mathematical elegance
  • elegant solution
  • elegant proof
  • elegant design
  • elegant simplicity
Synonyms
  • simplicity

    lacks the cleverness aspect; elegance = simple + effective

  • ingenuity

    emphasises cleverness; elegance also requires neatness and restraint

  • neatness

    only covers the tidy, organised aspect without the cleverness

  • cleverness

    focuses on smart thinking; elegance demands simplicity too

Antonyms
  • clumsiness

    an awkward, inefficient solution that lacks neatness

  • complexity

    unnecessary complication that defeats the purpose of elegant design

Grammar Patterns

elegance + of + [abstract noun: solution/proof/design]

Usage Note

Common in academic and technical writing. The subject is typically an abstract concept (solution, proof, design, system) rather than a person's appearance or behaviour — this helps distinguish it from sense 1.

Common Mistakes

The elegance of the solution comes from its complexity.
The elegance of the solution comes from its simplicity.
in this sense, elegance refers to neatness and simplicity, not complexity.

Word family

  • elegant
    adjectiveB2
  • elegantly
    adverbB2
  • inelegant
    adjectiveC1
  • inelegance
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All three words describe a positive quality of appearance or behaviour, but they differ in emphasis. Grace focuses on smooth, fluid movement or a pleasing shape — a ballet dancer has grace, while a well-designed chair may have elegance. Refinement suggests something has been improved through training, practice, or careful selection — it implies cultivation over time, whereas elegance can feel natural or effortless. Sophistication carries overtones of worldliness, complexity, and experience with high culture; elegance, by contrast, can be simple and understated. For example, a person might have the natural elegance of someone who simply dresses well, the refinement of someone trained in etiquette, or the sophistication of a world traveller. Choose grace when talking about movement, refinement when polish comes from effort, and sophistication when a broad, cultured knowledge is involved.

gracerefinement ↗sophistication

Common collocations

Phrases

  • with elegance
  • elegance of [noun]

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Elegance entered English from French élégance in the 1500s, going back to Latin elegantia, meaning 'taste, refinement, propriety.' The Latin root elegans ('choice, fine, discriminating') comes from eligere — 'to pick out, choose' (the same root gives us elect). The sense of clever simplicity in science and mathematics (sense 2) developed in the 1700s–1800s, when thinkers began describing neat, minimal solutions as having elegance.