Writing my way through the A-to-Z blogging challenge, I’ve tasked myself with throwing open the cabinet of curiosities and wondrous things I call my brain and leading you on a tour of what actually resides in there – all through the lens of unusual, obscure, or simply charming-to-me words.
Q is for…
quaintise [noun]
- craft; subtlety; cunning.
- elegance; beauty.
This is another obsolete word I’m delighting in. I find myself especially curious about words that have multiple definitions that seem at odds with one another, and quaintise seems just that to me. Of course such questions have me falling down the etymology rabbit hole, and well then as you might guess, all is lost for me.
While I won’t subject you to all my journeying, let me begin by saying I have a clearer understanding of the word cunning now. While we (or at least I) have always considered it to mean some version of devious, sly, duplicitous, it has another side. But let’s start with quaint. This word derives from the Latin cognitus, meaning known. That transmuted into cointe, which is Old French for cunning, which meant ingenious. Medieval English then combined those into quaint (and its derivative quaintise) to mean subtlety, or craft. By 1340 Chaucer introduced the word, and at that time disguise was considered a principal art of quaintise.
Fascinating, no? But it still begs the question of how the word got tied into elegance and beauty. We can of course make our own leaps, which when it comes right down to it is actually the way we go about understanding the world isn’t it. I think about that often – how our realities are based on our beliefs and our beliefs are unique to us. Oops, I’d best stop before I slip down another rabbit hole.
But focusing on quaintise’s definition of beauty and elegance seems entirely appropriate for today. I love Fridays as they belong to Venus, and I am most definitely a devotee of her, in her guise as planet, goddess, and archetype.
Astrologically, Venus is often thought of as both your love nature and your artistic inclinations, with the chart sign that it’s in describing the type of love/artistic energy you carry and the house describing the areas most clearly expressing this energy. Toss in the fact that you may be a morning star Venus or an evening star (I am) and that adds another layer to consider.
Astrologer Dana Gerhardt says “The wiser you get, the more honest and joyful your Venus expression becomes.” I believe that’s true. We hone our sense of what we personally find beautiful and enriching. I think as we grow and settle into ourselves we understand how critically important honesty is. Honesty to and about ourselves. We are here to express ourselves fully and authentically. And trying to be or do things we aren’t, for whatever reasons, simply does not serve us. But I’m not sure it doesn’t take a while to understand that. We need to grow into and awaken to it.
Returning to looking at Venus as a goddess archetype, she’s all above love and beauty. We tend to think about these things in terms of physical appearance, and although that’s certainly an aspect, I’d caution the understanding that Venus is not all outward fluff. The real deep engagement is to see what you truly value, and celebrate that. When you’re true to who you authentically are and broadcasting that beautiful soul energy undiluted it’s a very powerful thing. And something to celebrate both in ourselves and others.
Today has me thinking about these words from Jaime Gil de Bieda which I love:
I believed that I wanted to be a
poet, but deep down I just
wanted to be a poem.
I think Venus would understand this.
The goddess of love and beauty always invites us to pay attention to the loveliness around us and invites us to put on our dancing shoes and participate in sprinkling bits of beauty with every spin and twirl. And isn’t it perfect that there’s an orchid named Venus slippers?
How do you define quaintise in your life? What beauty are you paying attention to today? What are you loving? How are you celebrating this day under the auspices of Venus? Do tell – you know I love to hear.
I always think of cunning as a sly or sneaky meaning as well. Nice to know that it is not all bad. What am I loving? Working in my studio 🙂
Sounds lovely Janet – hope you get as much studio time as possible.
Your words have power with me today. I’ve been reflecting on what I value and how I might remain true to it. I don’t know that I’m loving these thoughts, but I am making progress in figuring out what to do next on a variety of projects. Perhaps Venus would approve?
These are good things to ponder Ally, even when they cause turmoil. And yay to making progress figuring things out. Sounds like a win to me.
I’m pleased I attended a service at midday today – I learned a lot. I had thought of going to a service early on Sunday morning but felt somewhat compelled to attend this particular one – I loved what the minister said, Jesus didn’t take love, he gave love.
It’s been a beautiful autumnal day – I visited 2 separate friends in the morning both of whom are recovering from hospital surgeries and are now home, enjoying their glorious gardens. The husband of my 2nd friend Annie went looking for her – don’t rush her I said, I’ll just walk in the garden – and down to almost the bottom of it and there she was – the first time since being home, she said, she’d made that walk .. Health wise she has still a long walk to go .. but she looked a little more energised –
Thanks for your lovely post Deborah … and I’m glad that you said cunning does not not necessarily have an adverse meaning.
Sounds like a pleasing day indeed Susan. May your weekend continue in that vein!
I read a lot of old British mysteries, so when I see “cunning,” I hear it used as “how adorable!” “The baby was the most cunning little thing.”
Beyond that, I guess I hear it more (if I hear it at all) as a negative, as in deceitful, tricky.
The beauty I’m paying attention to today is out in the sunny spring garden! Mostly the lupine.
My A-Z blog is poetry, but my other is gardening, so I’ve been out there taking pictures by the hundreds. Thank goodness for digital formats, who could afford the film and processing we used to buy?
How interesting Lisa about the British usage of cunning. I do love mysteries, but don’t remember seeing that so now I’ll keep my eyes open.
I will definitely come by and peek at your gardening blog. How wonderful you have lupine to enjoy. We’ve had the first doses of real warmth this week (after 4 inches of snow last weekend) so I think everything is ready to fully start popping in its Spring glory here. I can’t wait!
Long comment alert, once again I fell down the rabbit hole. Thanks, Deborah. Your post really got me thinking and helped me make connections I wouldn’t have otherwise considered. I also want to be a poem, or at least to make my life my poem.
As I was reading your thoughts on the contradictory meanings related to the word quaintise (I also thought of the word *acquaintance*), I wondered if its meaning might be similar to that of the parable, which relies on veiled language as a way of challenging us to uncover hidden truth and beauty.
Then I found another online definition of quaintise which said simply “device”. So I figured maybe quaintise, like the parable, poem and metaphor, serves as a veiled device, using the familiar (something we’re already acquainted with) to convey something deeper.
This next discovery kind of blew me away in the way it helps tie together everything you wrote about and were getting at. On this same online site ~which is a dictionary listing the oldest words found in 13th century English literature, along with their original meanings~ the definition beside the word “Quaint” is “Body and Soul”:
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/41975/41975-h/41975-h.htm
Your talk of Venus and beauty has me wondering about something else. If you feel comfortable answering, may I ask if you have a Libra Ascendant?
My own Venus, North Node, and Sun are conjunct in Libra, and with all that Libra going on, some of the biggest challenges for me have always been in not elevating form over content, or mistaking one for the other, something you wrote about in your post and which I admit to being guilty of in the past, sometimes even now.
Activist, philosopher, and mystic, Simone Weil understood the distinction between form and content, while also recognizing the need for and significance of beauty in its ability to soothe and heal, and to inform and engage our love for and relationship with others, writing: “The beauty of the world is not an attribute of matter in itself. It is a relationship of the world to our sensibility, the sensibility that depends upon the structure of our body and our soul.”
Quaint = Body and Soul.:)
*Coincidentally*, today’s Full Moon (at 29 Libra) is conjunct the most visible part of Simone Weil’s chart, falling on the exact degree of her Libra Midheaven. And on Good Friday too, which doesn’t always happen.
What a fascinating rabbit hole you fell into LB. The idea of a veiled device now has my fancy captured, and quaint as “body and soul” has me buzzing.
And heaven knows now Project Gutenberg will likely provide many hours of delighted wandering for me as well.
My ascendant isn’t Libra, but rather Scorpio.
I really appreciate the quote you shared from Weil – what beautiful wisdom in that. And I think perhaps it took a woman to express it in such an irresistibly compelling way – I think women inherently understand or at least look more closely for the relationship between things.
Ah, Scorpio rising. In synastry, that would mean my astrological stellium of placements likely falls in your 12th, and maybe part of your 1st. It fits considering the nature of our exchanges ~ about all things related to the unconscious.
Well, I sort of skimmed through all of this and I guess it’s beyond my realms or comprehension. I do want to say that it was quite interesting skimming through all this, but when fun becomes work or that big question mark in my brain I just move on. I joined this for some fun. Being disabled and blogging seems to be the only fun I have these days even my husband gets a little tired of my position. Oh well, such is life. Thanks for sharing though. I enjoyed your pictures of some of the stuff that I did understand. I never claimed to be smart, but I’m not stupid either. It just doesn’t stick in my head… have a nice day and I must say it was interesting to say the least. I have wonderful day! hugs
I appreciate you stopping by and commenting Marie. One thing I know for sure, life is entirely too short and time too precious to spend on things that don’t delight or add meaning for us.
I hope you’re having fun with the A-to-Z challenge and find many things that do light you up.
Quaintise is like quaint+ise then? I loved the rabbit hole you led us down today.
The older I get the more the millions of definitions of beauty come crowding into my line of vision.
Aced the Q-post as usual.
How I delight in your comment about more and more definitions of beauty crowding into your vision Nilanjana! Seriously I can imagine making that a mission in life – and what a wonderful life that would be.
I did not know that is old French cunning (cointe) meant ingenious. To be cunning is not all that bad it seems.
I love the word for today – Quaintise! I am trying to find beauty and elegance in everything I do or see, nowadays. I think that really helps me appreciate the beauty of life as it is and also a new life that I will be welcoming soon!
Thanks for a great post yet again!
Quickening
I love your focus Kislaya – we’re gifted with so much beauty surrounding us always and to notice and appreciate it seems like the most honorable and respectful way of receiving the gifts.
This post made me ponder the positives of cunning, and I’ve spent the last 5 minutes wondering if there is always an intimation of beauty when we call something quaint. Talk about a rabbit hole!
I love that thought Margaret. And I love when those things happen/occur to us. Somehow it always seems like an unexpected gift- something that captures our attention so much that we stop and ponder it. Treasure moments in my opinion.
On the day this was posted, I was driving to the shore. Another car along side of me had the back window rolled down, and a large dog was resting its head on the door frame, totally enraptured in the smells and sights passing by.
And the strangest thing happened: I too was filled with rapture, grateful for all in my life at this current instant… to the point of tears…
All from a big silly dog doing a very dog thing.
Beth
https://bethlapinsatozblog.wordpress.com/
This totally delights me Beth. These kind of moments are literally quite magical. And yay for silly dogs doing dog things who can spark them.