aesthetic

Alternative forms

• æsthetic, esthetic

Etymology

From German Ästhetik or French esthétique, both from Ancient Greek αἰσθητικός (aisthētikós, “of sense perception”), from αἰσθάνομαι (aisthánomai, “I feel”).

Pronunciation

• (Conservative RP) IPA^(key): /esˈθet.ɪk/, /iːsˈθet.ɪk/
• (Contemporary RP) IPA^(key): /ɛsˈθɛt.ɪk/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ɛsˈθɛt.ɪk/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛtɪk

Adjective

aesthetic (comparative more aesthetic, superlative most aesthetic)

1. Concerned with beauty, artistic impact, or appearance.
2. (nonstandard) Beautiful or appealing to one's sense of beauty and/or art.

   It works well enough, but the shabby exterior offends his aesthetic sensibilities.

   • 1881, W. S. Gilbert, Patience, Act I:

     If you're anxious for to shine in the high aesthetic line as a man of culture rare,
     You must get up all the germs of the transcendental terms, and plant them everywhere.

   Synonyms: aesthetical, esthetic, tasteful

   Antonyms: inaesthetic, unaesthetic

Noun

aesthetic (plural aesthetics)

1. The study of art or beauty.
2. That which appeals to the senses.
3. (Internet slang) The artistic motifs defining a collection of things, especially works of art; more broadly, their vibe

   Her most recent works have this quirky, half-serious 90's teen culture-inspired aesthetic.

Derived terms

Further reading

• "aesthetic" in Raymond Williams, Keywords (revised), 1983, Fontana Press, page 31.

Anagrams

• cheatiest