aesthetic

¹aes·thet·ic

adj

Definition of AESTHETIC

1

a : of, relating to, or dealing with aesthetics or the beautiful <aesthetic theories> b : artistic <a work of aesthetic value> c : pleasing in appearance : attractive <easy-to-use keyboards, clear graphics, and other ergonomic and aesthetic features — Mark Mehler>

2

: appreciative of, responsive to, or zealous about the beautiful; also : responsive to or appreciative of what is pleasurable to the senses

— aes·thet·i·cal·ly also es·thet·i·cal·ly \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

Variants of AESTHETIC

aes·thet·ic also es·thet·ic \es-ˈthe-tik, is-, British usually ēs-\ or aes·thet·i·cal or es·thet·i·cal \-ti-kəl\

Examples of AESTHETIC

1. There are practical as well as aesthetic reasons for planting trees.
2. making aesthetic improvements to the building

Origin of AESTHETIC

German ästhetisch, from New Latin aestheticus, from Greek aisthētikos of sense perception, from aisthanesthai to perceive — more at audible

First Known Use: 1798

Related to AESTHETIC

Synonyms: beautiful (also esthetic or aesthetical or esthetical), attractive, beauteous, bonny (also bonnie) [chiefly British], comely, cute, drop-dead, fair, fetching, good, good-looking, goodly, gorgeous, handsome, knockout, likely, lovely, lovesome, pretty, ravishing, seemly, sightly, stunning, taking, well-favored

Antonyms: grotesque, hideous, homely, ill-favored, plain, ugly, unaesthetic, unattractive, unbeautiful, uncomely, uncute, unhandsome, unlovely, unpleasing, unpretty, unsightly

Related Words: alluring, appealing, charming, cunning, delightful, engaging, fascinating, glamorous (also glamourous), prepossessing; elegant, exquisite, glorious, Junoesque, magnificent, resplendent, splendid, statuesque, sublime, superb; flawless, perfect, radiant; dainty, delicate; personable, pleasant, presentable; chocolate-box, prettyish; desirable, dishy, dollish, foxy, hot, luscious, nubile, pulchritudinous, seductive, sexy, tasty, toothsome, yummy; hunky, studly [slang]; arresting, eye-catching, flamboyant, flashy, glossy, showstopping, showy, slick, snazzy, splashy, striking, zingy; photogenic, telegenic

Near Antonyms: abhorrent, abominable, bad, disagreeable, disgusting, dreadful, foul, frightful, ghastly, horrible, loathsome, nasty, nauseating, objectionable, offensive, repellent (also repellant), repugnant, repulsive, revolting, shocking, sickening, terrible, vile; unappealing, unappetizing, unimposing, unpleasant, unprepossessing; frumpish, frumpy, unbecoming, unshapely; Gorgonian, haggish, witchy

[+]more[-]hide

Rhymes with AESTHETIC

ascetic, athletic, balletic, bathetic, cometic, cosmetic, eidetic, emetic, frenetic, gametic, genetic, hermetic, limnetic, magnetic, mimetic, noetic, Ossetic, paretic, pathetic, phenetic, phonetic, phyletic, poetic, prophetic, prosthetic, pyretic, splenetic, syncretic, syndetic, synthetic, tonetic, Venetic