beatific
adjective
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Beatific Has Latin Roots
When it comes to bliss-themed words, it’s hard to beat beatific. Since the 17th century, beatific has been all about that other b-word, first describing things that impart a feeling of complete and utter happiness, and later those beings with a blissful appearance. Not a bad gig if you can get it. Beatific comes from the Latin adjective beātificus, which means “making happy,” and can be traced further back to the verb beāre, meaning “to make happy.” Bliss, of course, is more like happiness cubed, so beatific tends to be used in formal speech and writing, and reserved for situations where happy itself doesn’t quite cut the mustard. A beatific smile, for example, is one that suggests its wearer is content on a deeper-than-ordinary level, while a beatific location—say, a tranquil tropical lagoon or a majestic mountain—is one that instills such pervasive joy in its beholder.
Examples of beatific in a Sentence
Kambole Campbell, Vulture, 9 Dec. 2025
His eyes were limpid, faraway, flooded with tears, his gaze beatific.
—Helen Molesworth, Artforum, 1 Dec. 2025
An exploration of a young girl’s turbulent childhood, this book reads like an open wound, something beatific, at once holy and haunting.
—Miriam Gershow, Literary Hub, 1 Dec. 2025
A bit of a drive further on Santa Monica offers the beatific resting place of many stars, Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
—Samantha Dunn, Oc Register, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for beatific
Cite this Entry
“Beatific.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beatific. Accessed 18 Dec. 2025.
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beatific
adjective
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