gorgeous

adjective

gor·​geous ˈgȯr-jəs 

1

a

: splendidly or showily brilliant or magnificent

a gorgeous view

the bird's gorgeous plumage

gorgeous music

b

: very attractive

a gorgeous young man/woman

a gorgeous red dress

2

: very pleasant or delightful

a gorgeous summer afternoon

It's luscious, with … flavors that will be gorgeous with steak.

—Wine Enthusiast Magazine

gorgeously adverb

gorgeousness noun

Did you know?

In the late Middle Ages many women wore a type of headdress—called a wimple in English—that surrounded the neck and head, leaving only the face uncovered. The word gorgias, from gorge, meaning “throat,” was the French name for the part of the headdress that covered the throat and shoulders. In time it also came to be used as a name for the entire garment. A beautiful headdress was so much the mark of a fashionable lady that Gorgias then became an adjective meaning “elegant” or “fond of dress.” Borrowed into English as gorgayse and then gorgeous, the word gradually took on the meaning of “beautiful” that it has today.

Synonyms of gorgeous

• beautiful
• lovely
• cute
• handsome
• attractive
• pretty
• stunning

Choose the Right Synonym for gorgeous

splendid, resplendent, gorgeous, glorious, sublime, superb mean extraordinarily or transcendently impressive.

splendid implies outshining the usual or customary.

the wedding was a splendid occasion

resplendent suggests a glowing or blazing splendor.

resplendent in her jewelry

gorgeous implies a rich splendor especially in display of color.

a gorgeous red dress

glorious suggests radiance that heightens beauty or distinction.

a glorious sunset

sublime implies an exaltation or elevation almost beyond human comprehension.

a vision of sublime beauty

superb suggests an excellence reaching the highest conceivable degree.

her singing was superb

Examples of gorgeous in a Sentence

The difference in appearance can be dramatic, as I saw on a visit to the small, modern factory where Pineider prints its stationery, in a gorgeous part of Tuscany near Florence and bordering Chianti. —Corby Kummer, Atlantic, May 2001

In the Arlberg … my wife and I were taken to the most perfect dinner by an elderly Viennese couple and their gorgeous young daughter, whom we had met in Washington. —Geoffrey Wolff, Granta, Autumn 1990

Banks of gorgeous flowers were on every hand, and birds with rare and brilliant plumage sang and fluttered in the trees and bushes. —L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, 1900

Your baby is absolutely gorgeous!

sunsets in Hawaii are just gorgeous

Recent Examples on the Web

Space Afrika bring in slow-moving and often gorgeous layers of double bass, violin, harp, saxophone, and piano to exhume the revelry, grief, and chaos of their inner worlds. — Kiana Mickles, Pitchfork, 13 Oct. 2026

His 2026 runway show, the gorgeous Eterno, doubled as a fashion film and a celebration of Latino joy during times of turmoil, with performances from Latin Mafia, Mon Laferte, Lunay, and more. — Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 12 Oct. 2026

His 41-yard touchdown pass to receiver Cam Coleman in the first quarter against Oklahoma was a gorgeous throw. — Mac Engel october 10, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Oct. 2026

The property, which takes up residence in an 18th-century palazzo, looks fresh-faced and gorgeous after a multi-year and multi-phase renovation executed through the peak of the pandemic. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English gorgeouse, from Middle French gorgias elegant, perhaps from gorgias wimple, from gorge throat

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

gorgeous

adjective

gor·​geous ˈgȯr-jəs 

: having an impressive beauty

a gorgeous sunset

gorgeously adverb

gorgeousness noun

Etymology

Middle English gorgeouse "very showy, splendid," from early French gorgias "elegant," from gorgias "headdress, wimple," from gorge "part of the wimple covering the throat, throat"

Word Origin

In the late Middle Ages many women wore a type of headdress—called a wimple in English—that surrounded the neck and head, leaving only the face uncovered. The word gorgias, from gorge, meaning "throat," was then the French name for the part of the headdress that covered the throat and shoulders. In time it also came to be used as a name for the entire garment. Perhaps because a beautiful headdress was the mark of a fashionable lady, gorgias seems to have become an adjective meaning "elegant" or "fond of dress." Borrowed into English as gorgayse and then gorgeous, the word gradually took on the meaning of "beautiful" which it has today.