aspect

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noun as·pect \ˈas-ˌpekt\

Simple Definition of aspect

: a part of something
: the way a person, place, or thing appears
: the direction that something (such as a room or building) faces or points towards

Source: Merriam-Webster's Learner's Dictionary

Full Definition of aspect

1 a : the position of planets or stars with respect to one another held by astrologers to influence human affairs; also : the apparent position (as conjunction) of a body in the solar system with respect to the sun b : a position facing a particular direction : exposure <the house has a southern aspect> c : the manner of presentation of a plane to a fluid through which it is moving or to a current
2 a (1) : appearance to the eye or mind (2) : a particular appearance of the face : mien b : a particular status or phase in which something appears or may be regarded <studied every aspect of the question>
3 archaic : an act of looking : gaze
4 a : the nature of the action of a verb as to its beginning, duration, completion, or repetition and without reference to its position in time b : a set of inflected verb forms that indicate aspect

aspectual

play \a-ˈspek-chə(-wə)l, -chü(-ə)l\ adjective

See aspect defined for English-language learners

See aspect defined for kids

Examples of aspect in a sentence

<depending on what aspect of college life you consider most important, there are several colleges which might be good for you>
<he has the aspect of a man used to giving orders and seeing them obeyed>

Did You Know?

Since aspectus in Latin means "looked at", an aspect of something is basically the direction from which it's looked at. So we may say that travel is your favorite aspect of your job, or that eating well is one aspect of a healthy life. If you look at a stage set from the front, it looks completely different than from behind, where all the mechanisms are visible, and both aspects are important. The word can be very useful when you're analyzing something, and it's used a great deal in the writings of scholars.

Origin and Etymology of aspect

Middle English, from Latin aspectus, from aspicere to look at, from ad- + specere to look — more at spy

First Known Use: 14th century

Other Physics Terms

amplitude, centrifugal, centripetal, convection, gradient, hysteresis, kinetic, lase, quantum

ASPECT Defined for Kids

aspect

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noun as·pect \ˈa-ˌspekt\

Definition of aspect for Students

1 : the appearance of something : look <The old house took on a dark and lonely aspect at night.>
2 : a certain way in which something appears or may be thought of <We considered every aspect of the question.>
3 : a position facing a certain direction <The house has a southern aspect.>

Medical Dictionary

aspect

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noun as·pect \ˈas-ˌpekt\

Medical Definition of aspect

1: the part of an object (as an organ) in a particular position <the medial aspects of the knees—R. H. Nyquist>
2: a particular status or phase in which something appears or may be regarded <the medicolegal aspects of pregnancy—Bulletin of Meharry Medical College>