Meaning
a certain something, je ne sais quoi
- An indefinable quality, spark, or essence; a certain something.
In a sentence
La sua interpretazione teatrale aveva un quid davvero speciale.
Her theatrical performance had a truly special certain something.
Manca ancora un quid per rendere perfetto questo progetto.
There is still a little something missing to make this project perfect.
Quel quadro non mi convince, gli manca un quid di originalità.
That painting doesn't convince me; it lacks a certain spark of originality.
Word forms (3)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| quid | masculine · singular |
| quid | masculine · plural |
| quid | masculine · plural |
Usage notes
- Almost always preceded by the indefinite article 'un' ('un quid').
- Derived from Latin; masculine and invariable in the plural.
- Formal or intellectual register; often used as a synonym for 'un non so che'.