Etymology

exquisite

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Today it means: Especially or extraordinarily fine or pleasing; exceptional. Full definition →

First used early 20th c.Latin exquīsītus
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The story

  1. Latin · derived fromexquīsītus“to be outsought”
  2. English todayexquisite

From Latin exquīsītus (“to be outsought”), perfect passive participle of exquīrō (“to outseek”).

First known use, by meaning

  • from early 20th c. Fop, dandy.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.