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].
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. 1063 Ruhnk.; cf. id. Eun. 408; 566 (but not in Plaut. Trin. 2, 1, 14, v. Ritschl ad h. l.).—
II Class. in a good sense, choice , nice , fine , neat , tasteful , elegant.
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.—
B Of things: nec magis compositum quicquam, nec magis elegans, Ter. Eun. 935; 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, 13; 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.