Where does “exquisite” come from?
Exquisite comes from Latin exquisitus, the past participle of exquirere meaning to search out thoroughly, derived from quaerere to seek combined with the prefix ex-.
exquisite (English): Especially fine or pleasing; exceptional;...
Definitions
- Especially fine or pleasing; exceptional;...
Ancestry of “exquisite”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | exquīsītus | sought out, searched for, hunted up, ascertained, having been sought out |
| 2 | Latin | exquiro | I seek out, search for or hunt up; I inquire into |
| 3 | Latin | quaerō | to seek, look for |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | kʷaizeō | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷeh₂- | to acquire |