From Latin 'eligere' (to pick out) — literally 'the art of choosing well.' Same root as 'elite' and 'eligible.'
The quality of being graceful and stylish in appearance or manner; pleasingly ingenious and simple.
From French élégance, from Latin ēlegantia (taste, propriety, refinement, discriminating choice), from ēlegāns (choice, fine, tasteful, discriminating), from ēligere (to pick out, to choose carefully), composed of ex- (out) + legere (to choose, to gather, to read), from PIE *leǵ- (to gather, to collect). Elegance is literally 'the quality of being carefully chosen' — the refinement that emerges from discriminating selection, keeping only what is essential and discarding the rest. The word shares its root
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