# elegant

/ˈɛɫəɡənt/ (US) · /ˈɛlɪɡənt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/elegant
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. graceful and stylish

adjective · CEFR B2

graceful and attractive in appearance or behaviour.

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

- She wore an elegant black dress to the wedding reception.
- The hotel lobby was decorated in an elegant style, featuring marble floors and understated lighting that created a sophisticated atmosphere.

### 2. simple and clever

adjective · CEFR C1 · Academic · Technical

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

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

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

## Examples

- She wore an elegant dress to the wedding.
- The architect found an elegant solution to the space problem by using sliding walls instead of fixed doors.
- While the initial proposal was cluttered with unnecessary details, the revised strategy offered an elegant framework that addressed all stakeholder concerns without increasing the project budget.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.