Aesthetic
/ɛsˈθɛ.tɪk/ adj, noun, slang
adj, noun, slang ·Very common ·Middle school level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The study of art or beauty.
- 2 (philosophy) a philosophical theory as to what is beautiful wordnet
- 3 That which appeals to the senses.
- 4 The set of artistic motifs defining a collection of things, especially works of art; more broadly, their aura or “vibe”.
"Her most recent works have this quirky, nonchalant aesthetic inspired by ’90s teen culture."
Adjective
- 1 Concerned with beauty, artistic effect, or appearance.
"It works well enough, but the shabby exterior offends his aesthetic sensibilities."
- 2 Beautiful or appealing to one's sense of beauty or art. proscribed, rare
"The design of the lobby cannot be considered particularly aesthetic."
Adjective
- 1 concerning or characterized by an appreciation of beauty or good taste wordnet
- 2 aesthetically pleasing wordnet
- 3 relating to or dealing with the subject of aesthetics wordnet
Slang
- 1 A recognizable visual style or mood. slang, social-media, 2010s-2020s
"Her desk setup has a soft aesthetic."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
More examples"Her desk setup has a soft aesthetic."
Etymology
From German Ästhetik or French esthétique, both from New Latin aesthēticus, itself borrowed from Ancient Greek αἰσθητικός (aisthētikós, “of sense perception”), from αἰσθάνομαι (aisthánomai, “I feel”); analysable as aesthe(sis) + -tic. Cognates include Proto-Germanic *awiz (“obvious”), Sanskrit आविस् (āvís, “manifestly, evidently”) and Latin audiō.