Quiddity
I’m amazed by the way one word can fire off a whole line of thought. This is a good one: quiddity. The word “quiddity†(Latin quidditas) is one way to denote the idea of the real nature or essence of a thing, the very thing that makes it what it is. Literally, it translates as “whatness” or “what it is.” That sounds very individualistic to an American ear, and “what is it” sounds like it might be referring to the…