El"e*gant (?), a. [L. elegans,
-antis; akin to eligere to pick out, choose, select:
cf. F. élégant. See Elect.]
1. Very choice, and hence, pleasing to good
taste; characterized by grace, propriety, and refinement, and the
absence of every thing offensive; exciting admiration and approbation
by symmetry, completeness, freedom from blemish, and the like;
graceful; tasteful and highly attractive; as, elegant manners;
elegant style of composition; an elegant speaker; an
elegant structure.
A more diligent cultivation of elegant
literature.
Prescott.
2. Exercising a nice choice; discriminating
beauty or sensitive to beauty; as, elegant taste.
Syn. -- Tasteful; polished; graceful; refined; comely;
handsome; richly ornamental.
