aesthetic

1 of 2

adjective

aes·​thet·​ic es-ˈthe-tik How to pronounce aesthetic (audio)
is-,
 British usually  ēs-
variants also US esthetic or aesthetical or US esthetical
es-ˈthe-ti-kəl How to pronounce aesthetic (audio)
is-,
 British usually  ēs-
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
his aesthetic sensibility
3
: done or made to improve a person's appearance or to correct defects in a person's appearance
aesthetic plastic surgery
aesthetically adverb
or less commonly esthetically
es-ˈthe-ti-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce aesthetic (audio)
is-,
 British usually  ēs-

aesthetic

2 of 2

noun

aes·​thet·​ic es-ˈthe-tik How to pronounce aesthetic (audio)
is-,
 British usually  ēs-
variants or less commonly esthetic
1
aesthetics also esthetics es-ˈthe-tiks How to pronounce aesthetic (audio)
is-,
 British usually  ēs-
plural in form but singular or plural in construction : a branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of beauty, art, and taste and with the creation and appreciation of beauty
2
: a particular theory or conception of beauty or art : a particular taste for or approach to what is pleasing to the senses and especially sight
modernist aesthetics
staging new ballets which reflected the aesthetic of the new nationMary Clarke & Clement Crisp
3
aesthetics also esthetics plural : a pleasing appearance or effect : beauty
appreciated the aesthetics of the gemstones

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The Singular (Or Plural) Art of Aesthetics

The noun aesthetic is often found used in its plural form. In the plural form, aesthetics can refer to the theory of art and beauty—and in particular the question of what makes something beautiful or interesting to regard:

Although he could extemporize animatedly about the history of the valve seat grinder, or the art of ropemaking, or how long it took to manually drill blast holes into a deposit of coal, aesthetics were another matter. The unlikely beauty of his rusty treasures defied elaboration.
Donovan Hohn, Harper’s, January 2005

This sense is sometimes encountered in constructions that treat it as singular:

With the removal of the studio packages, those cinema owners still providing double features began exploring less arbitrary and more justified pairings of films. The double feature became a special element of movie houses concentrating on the presentation of classic and art films. And this is where an aesthetics of the double feature emerges.
Chadwick Jenkins, PopMatters, 16 Aug. 2016

So Sontag was wrong to describe camp as an "unserious, 'aesthete's' vision." Aesthetics is always serious when agreed-upon interpretations are changed or stolen or emptied out.
Dave Hickey, Harper's, December 2009

A word that follows a similar pattern is poetics, (which also happens to be the title of a work by Aristotle focusing on literary theory and discourse):

A poetics of film, he has argued, seeks to reveal the conventions that films use to achieve their effects-and cognitive explanations provide insight into how and why filmic conventions, like shot-reverse-shot or empathy close-ups, produce the effects they do.
Alissa Quart, Lingua Franca, March 2000

As a plural noun, aesthetics can also be used as a synonym for beauty:

For reasons of economy and aesthetics, though, most of the house was stick built and is perfectly cozy without any elaborate beam work.
Andrew Vietze, Down East, May 2003

Examples of aesthetic in a Sentence

Adjective My generation has an annoying penchant for treating luxuries as necessities and turning guilty pleasures into aesthetic and even moral touchstones. Terrence Rafferty, GQ, October 1997
Whereas the essence of Proust's aesthetic position was contained in the deceptively simple yet momentous assertion that "a picture's beauty does not depend on the things portrayed in it." Alain de Botton, How Proust Can Change Your Life, 1997
I suppose that jazz listening and prizefight watching are my two most passionate avocations, and this is largely so because the origins of my aesthetic urges are in the black working class. Gerald Early, "The Passing of Jazz's Old Guard: … ," in The Best American Essays 1986, Elizabeth Hardwick & Robert Atwan, editors1986
There are practical as well as aesthetic reasons for planting trees. making aesthetic improvements to the building Noun Aesthetics is an important part of Greek philosophy. the aesthetics of the gemstones
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
There’s also something about the aesthetic the tiny tote embodies, which is kind of basic — in a good way. Emily Heil, Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2024 These and the new Cabinet of Wonders trilogy are quickly becoming the signature aesthetic of La Fabrique du Temps, Louis Vuitton’s modern manufacture in Switzerland. Carol Besler, Robb Report, 12 Mar. 2024 Their meet-cute is a charmed encounter whose romance is emphasized by a dreamy aesthetic and editing style; the affair is short-lived because of a surprising but poorly revealed twist. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Mar. 2024 In certain corners of the internet—think Blanca à Table or Big Night’s wildly popular New York home goods store—this colorful and eclectic aesthetic lives on. Talia Abbas, Vogue, 8 Mar. 2024 Farina leverages computation, including AI, to explore aesthetic possibilities that are mapped onto spaces occupied by entities and forces. The Arizona Republic, 7 Mar. 2024 Choosing the right planter for your plants goes beyond aesthetic. Christianna Silva, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Mar. 2024 Millennial film culture has lost its aesthetic bearings. Armond White, National Review, 1 Mar. 2024 But such content also glosses over a fundamental truth: that for many women offline, patriarchal servitude is not an aesthetic performance, but their only option. Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 1 Mar. 2024
Noun
Louis Vuitton Being a relatively young watch brand compared to the hundred-year-old heritage brands, Louis Vuitton has been free to adopt a modern aesthetic rather than reissuing archival designs. Carol Bresler, Robb Report, 13 Mar. 2024 Nonetheless, the terms originated in Japanese aesthetics: sabi out of poetry and wabi out of tea. Paul S. Atkins, The Conversation, 12 Mar. 2024 The e/accs favor a Jetsons-core aesthetic, with renderings of hoverboards and space-faring men of leisure—the bountiful future that A.I. could give us. Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024 Furthermore, the business model based on good, cheap food was being pushed out, in favor of one that prioritized an eye-catching aesthetic that could be posted and promoted on social media. Caroline Shin, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2024 Florence Pugh’s Del Core silver metallic dress had a similar aesthetic. Maane Khatchatourian, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2024 The aesthetic is less Bob Fosse and more Stanley Kubrick. Adrienne Miller, Vogue, 5 Mar. 2024 But this aesthetic isn’t just for those who live by the beach. Maggie Gillette, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Mar. 2024 Many stories set in the northeast, including Mr. Shuang’s, feature a gritty aesthetic of hulking smokestacks, blinding snow and ambient despair. Vivian Wang, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'aesthetic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

borrowed from German ästhetisch "pertaining to taste or discernment," borrowed from New Latin aestheticus, borrowed from Greek aisthētikós "of sense perception, sensitive, perceptive," from aisthētós "sensible, perceptible" (verbal adjective of aisthánomai, aisthánesthai "to perceive, take notice of, understand," going back to *awis-th-, from *awis-, base of Greek aḯein "to perceive, hear" + -th-, resultative noun suffix) + -ikos -ic entry 1 — more at audible entry 1

Note: German aesthetisch/ästhetisch (New Latin aestheticus) was initially promulgated as a philosophical term in the work of Alexander Baumgarten (1714-62) and subsequently by Immanuel Kant.

Noun

borrowed from German Ästhetik, borrowed from New Latin aesthetica, from feminine of aestheticus aesthetic entry 1 — more at -ics

First Known Use

Adjective

1797, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1822, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of aesthetic was in 1797

Dictionary Entries Near aesthetic

Cite this Entry

“Aesthetic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aesthetic. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

aesthetic

adjective
aes·​thet·​ic
variants or esthetic
es-ˈthet-ik,
is-
: of or relating to beauty or what is beautiful
aesthetically
-i-k(ə)-lē
adverb

Medical Definition

aesthetic

adjective
: done or made to improve a person's appearance or to correct defects in a person's appearance
aesthetic plastic surgery
Dentists are still drilling and filling, but the fastest growing part of the practices are aesthetic procedures, such as bleaching teeth and using tooth-colored material for fillings …Sarah Skidmore, The San Diego Union-Tribune

More from Merriam-Webster on aesthetic

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