quiddity means the essence or inherent nature of a person or thing.
quiddity is pronounced /ˈkwɪdɪti/.
Why “quiddity” is a great word
The inherent nature or essence of a person or thing, also a trifling point or subtle distinction. From Middle English quidite, from Old French quidité, from Late Latin quidditās, from Latin quid ('what') + -itās ('-ness'). Unlike 'quintessence' (which implies a purified, ideal form) or 'quibble' (which is the petty argument itself), quiddity is the raw, defining core—or else the hair-fine line that constitutes it. It is the particular way a door insists on sticking at the same angle each morning, the exact temperature at which a specific friendship sours, or the single, irreplaceable detail in a legal clause that changes everything. This is the way essence and evasion can wear the same face.
Etymology
From Middle English quidite, from Old French quidité, and its source, Late Latin quidditās, from Latin quid (“what”) + -itas (“-ness”) (whence -ity).
noun
- The essence or inherent nature of a person or thing.
- A trifle; a nicety or quibble.
- An eccentricity; an odd feature.