What does "elegant" mean?

1. (graceful and stylish) graceful and attractive in appearance or behaviour. 2. (simple and clever) describing a solution or idea that is simple, clever, and works perfectly.

How do you use "elegant"?

Often used to praise the efficiency of a design or a logical argument.

elegant

adj.

US //ˈɛɫəɡənt// UK //ˈɛlɪɡənt// el·e·gant

1 graceful and stylish (adj.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

graceful and attractive in appearance or behaviour.

characterised by grace, refinement, or tasteful beauty in appearance, movement, or manner.

Example

She wore an elegant black dress to the wedding reception.

Example

The hotel lobby was decorated in an elegant style, featuring marble floors and understated lighting that created a sophisticated atmosphere.
- clumsy
- gaudy
- inelegant
2 simple and clever (adj.)
C1 Advanced Academic Technical Science

describing a solution or idea that is simple, clever, and works perfectly.

characterised by minimalism and intuitiveness while maintaining precision; often used of mathematical proofs or software code.

Example

The scientist found an elegant way to solve the difficult problem.

Example

The programmer was praised for her elegant solution, which reduced the complex algorithm to just three lines of highly efficient code.

Usage

Often used to praise the efficiency of a design or a logical argument.
- clunky
- convoluted

Origin

From Late Middle English elegaunt, from Middle French elegant, ultimately from Latin ēlegāns.

Word family

Nounelegance
Adjectiveelegant