aspect

as·pect

noun \ˈas-ˌpekt\

: 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

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

— as·pec·tu·al \a-ˈspek-chə(-wə)l, -chü(-ə)l\ adjective

Examples of ASPECT

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

Origin 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

Related to ASPECT

Synonyms

angle, facet, hand, phase, side

Related Words

air, appearance, character, color, complexion, condition, face, look, semblance, shape, state, visage; period, stage, step; outlook, perspective, position, posture, shoes, slant, stance, standpoint, view, viewpoint; interpretation, reading, rendering, translation, version; article, case, component, count, detail, dimension, element, factor, instance, item, matter, part, particular, point, regard, respect

Near Antonyms

blink [chiefly Scottish], flash, glance, glimpse, peek, peep, sight, stime [chiefly Scottish & Irish]; oeillade, ogle; browse, scan

Other Physics Terms

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

Rhymes with ASPECT

abject, advect, affect, bisect, cathect, collect, confect, connect, convect, correct, cowl-necked, defect, deflect, deject, detect, direct, Dordrecht, effect, eject, elect, erect, ewe-necked, expect, goosenecked, infect, inflect, inject, insect, inspect, neglect, object, pandect, porrect, prefect, prelect, project, prospect, protect, refect, reflect, reject, resect, respect, ring-necked, roll-necked, select, stiff-necked, subject, suspect, traject, transect, trisect, Utrecht, V-necked

as·pect

noun \ˈas-ˌpekt\   (Medical Dictionary)

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>