Brewer's: Quiddity

The essence of a thing, or that which differentiates it from other things. Schoolmen say Quid est (what is it?) and the reply is, the Quid is so and so, the What or the nature of the thing is as follows. The latter quid being formed into a barbarous Latin noun becomes Quidditas. Hence Quid est (what is it)? Answer: Talis est quidditas (its essence is as follows).

He knew ... Where entity and quiddity (The ghosts of defunct bodies) fly.

Butler: Hudibras, $$$ 1

Related Content Allusions Foreign Words and Phrases Latin and Greek Word Elements Names: Their Origins and Meanings Old Testament Names Mythology Ancient Greek Literature & Mythology The Bible (King James version) The Koran (translation by J. M. Rodwell) Shakespeare's Plays Tales from Shakespeare (Charles and Mary Lamb) Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language