Lewis & Short

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ēlĕgans (in some MSS. eligans; cf. Beier Cic. Orr. Fragmm. p. 105), antis, adj. [prob. collat. form of eligens, from eligo, Cic. N. D. 2, 28, 72].

  1. I. In the ante-class. period in a bad sense, luxurious, effeminate, fastidious, nice: elegans homo non dicebatur cum laude; sed id fere verbum ad aetatem M. Catonis vitii, non laudis fuit … ex quibus verbis (Catonis) apparet, elegantem dictum antiquitus non ab ingenii elegantia, sed qui nimis lecto amoenoque cultu victuque esset, etc., Gell. 11, 2, 1; cf. Non. 465, 11 sq.: heia, ut elegans est! how choice! how nice! Ter. Heaut. 5, 5, 19 Ruhnk.; cf. id. Eun. 3, 1, 18; 3, 5, 18 (but not in Plaut. Trin. 2, 1, 14, v. Ritschl ad h. l.).
  2. II. Class. in a good sense, choice, nice, fine, neat, tasteful, elegant.
    1. A. Of persons: tu festivus, tu elegans, tu solus urbanus, quem decet muliebris ornatus, etc., Cic. Clod. et Cur. 5, p. 105, ed. Beier; cf. (with mundus) id. Fin. 2, 8, 23; (with splendidus) Nep. Att. 13, 5; and opp. parcus, Cic. Brut. 40, 148; id. Or. 25, 83: auctor, Vell. 1, 13: mulier (Phryne—with formosa), Val. Max. 4, 3, 3 ext.: intelligo te hominem in omni judicio elegantissimum, Cic. Fam. 7, 23 et saep.: scriptor, id. Brut. 9; 16, 63; 68, 239; Quint. 10, 1, 78 al.; cf. in the comp.: quis verbis aut ornatior aut elegantior (sc. Caesare)? Cic. ap. Suet. Caes. 55; in the sup.: poëta, Nep. Att. 12, 4: elegans et concinnus (pictor), Plin. 35, 10, 36, § 111.
      As subst.: ēlĕgantes, ium, m., fine gentlemen, city people (opp. agrestes), Col. 7, 2, 1.
    2. B. Of things: nec magis compositum quicquam, nec magis elegans, Ter. Eun. 5, 4, 13; cf. (with decorum) Cic. Div. 1, 30: a necessariis artificiis ad elegantiora defluximus, id. Tusc. 1, 25, 62; cf. Liv. 44, 9: artes elegantes et ingenuae, Cic. Fin. 3, 2: temperamentum, Tac. A. 11, 4: color, Plin. 15, 8, 8, § 34 et saep.: perspicitis, hoc genus (jocandi) quam sit facetum, quam elegans, quam oratorium, Cic. de Or. 2, 59, 241; cf. id. Off. 1, 29, 104; id. Brut. 85; Quint. 6, 3, 39; 10, 1, 65 al.
      Comp.: ego autem a te elegantiora desidero, Cic. Fin. 4, 10; and sup.: epistola, id. Att. 16, 13 a.; cf.: scripta Terentii, Quint. 10, 1, 99: utrum sit elegantius, Anton. ap. Cic. Phil. 13, 18: solum, Plin. 14, 4, 5, § 50.
      Hence, adv.: ēlĕganter, with correct choice, tastefully, neatly, finely, gracefully, elegantly: lautiores eleganter accepti, Cic. Att. 13, 52, 2: quiete et pure atque eleganter acta aetas, id. de Sen. 5; cf.: acta vita, Liv. 35, 31: herba foliis rotundis eleganter vestita, Plin. 25, 5, 19, § 43 et saep.
      Comp.: psallere et saltare, Sall. C. 24, 2: quid enim facere potuit elegantius ad hominum existimationem? Cic. Div. in Caecil. 17: elegantius aut justius fieri, id. Fam. 3, 8, 2: facturos si, etc., Liv. 37, 1: neminem elegantius loca cepisse, more fitly, judiciously, Liv. 35, 14: causam accurate eleganterque dicere, Cic. Brut. 22, 86; so of speech, id. Fam. 5, 13, 3; id. Tusc. 2, 3; Quint. 6, 3, 102; 8, 2, 21 al.; cf. in the sup., Cic. Brut. 72, 252; Quint. 11, 1, 74.