What is the Latin word for exquisite?

The usual Latin words for “exquisite” are exquīrō, conquīrō, subtīlis; also eximius, ēgregius, superus. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“exquisite” in Latin

exquīrōto seek or seek out, search for or hunt up; to inquire into conquīrōto seek for, hunt up, search out eagerly or carefully, go in quest of; to collect, bring together; to investigate, searc subtīlisfine, thin, slender; precise, accurate, keen; plain, unadorned, simple eximiusselect, choice; special, particular, exceptional, remarkable, extraordinary; exempt ēgregiusdistinguished, excellent, eminent; illustrious, honorable superusabove, upper, higher iūdiciumjudgment, decision; opinion; trial et cēteraet cetera, and the rest, and so on: used to note that the rest of a list or piece of information continues in a similar aurisear

The English word exquisite itself goes back to Latin quaerō, through exquīsītus.

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

exquisite

exquisitus (PROP., sought out from different quarters; IMPROP., of exquisite learning, tortures, etc.): conquisitus (PROP., sought out and brought together from different quarters, especially of dainties; also of drugs; and opposed to obvius dicenti, of rhetorical figures): subtilis (fine, nice, hence acute, etc.; e.g., judicium); often by eximius, egregius, summus, etc. (The words are found in this connection and order.) eximius et praestans (Cic.). The most exquisite tortures, summus cruciatus (e.g., summo cruciatu Varius periit, Cic.), and by the superlatives of other adjectives; e.g., ears of the most exquisite delicacy, aures, quarum est superbissimum judicium: of the most exquisite flavor or scent, sapore praestantissimus (Plin., who uses sapor, of scent): exquisite beauty, eximia pulchritudo or facies (Cic.): of exquisite beauty, eximius forma: exquisite abilities, eximium ingenium: exquisite pain, dolor magnus atque incredibilis; dolor acerbissimus. ☞ The application of exquisitus, conquisitus, is very limited.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for exquisite?: The usual Latin words for “exquisite” are exquīrō, conquīrō, subtīlis; also eximius, ēgregius, superus. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.