aesthete

American  

[es-theet, ees-] / ˈɛs θit, ˈis- /

noun

1. a person who has or professes to have refined sensitivity toward the beauties of art or nature.

   Synonyms:

   connoisseur

2. a person who affects great love of art, music, poetry, etc., and indifference to practical matters.

   Synonyms:

   dilettante

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aesthete British  

/ ˈiːsθiːt /

noun

1. a person who has or who affects a highly developed appreciation of beauty, esp in poetry and the visual arts

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Other Word Forms

• hyperaesthete noun

Etymology

Origin of aesthete

1880–85; < Greek aisthētḗs one who perceives, equivalent to aisthē- (variant stem of aisthánesthai to perceive) + -tēs noun suffix denoting agent

Example Sentences

Visually and musically, Grimes was holding up a mirror to Tumblr aesthetes.

From Salon

Unforced but ever-present in Reichardt’s mise-en-scène, they remind us that this bored aesthete’s misadventure is an especially empty way to buck conformity.

From Los Angeles Times

For aesthetes, his direct and uncompromising brand of football is unwatchable.

From BBC

He added: "Carpenter is above all a brilliant aesthete, her videos and album artwork uniformly inspired."

From BBC

Ludwig II of Bavaria was a zealous aesthete with enough personal wealth to treat part of what is now Germany as an architectural canvas.

From Salon