El"e*gant (?), a. [L. elegans, -antis; akin to eligere to pick out, choose, select: cf. F. 'el'egant. 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.
© Webster 1913.