aesthetic

American  

[es-thet-ik, ees-] / ɛsˈθɛt ɪk, is- /

Or esthetic

adjective

1. relating to the philosophy of aesthetics; concerned with notions such as the beautiful and the ugly.

2. relating to the science of aesthetics; concerned with the study of the mind and emotions in relation to the sense of beauty.

3. having a sense of the beautiful; characterized by a love of beauty.

   Synonyms:

   refined, cultivated, discriminating

4. relating to, involving, or concerned with pure emotion and sensation as opposed to pure intellectuality.

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noun

1. the philosophical theory or set of principles governing the idea of beauty at a given time and place.

   the clean lines, bare surfaces, and sense of space that bespeak the machine-age aesthetic;

   the Cubist aesthetic.

2. a particular individual’s set of ideas about style and taste, along with its expression.

   the designer’s aesthetic of accessible, wearable fashion;

   a great aesthetic on her blog.

3. one’s set of principles or worldview as expressed through outward appearance, behavior, or actions.

   the democratic aesthetic of the abolitionists.

4. Archaic. the study of the nature of sensation.

aesthetic British  

/ ɪs-, iːsˈθɛtɪk /

adjective

1. connected with aesthetics or its principles

2. 1. relating to pure beauty rather than to other considerations

   2. artistic or relating to good taste

      an aesthetic consideration

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noun

1. a principle of taste or style adopted by a particular person, group, or culture

   the Bauhaus aesthetic of functional modernity

Usage

What else does aesthetic mean? Aesthetic concerns what is considered beautiful.In pop culture, an aesthetic refers to the overall style of someone or something, like a musical sound, interior design, or even a social-media presence.In the 2010s, the term became closely associated with vaporwave culture on Tumblr.

Other Word Forms

• aesthetically adverb
• nonaesthetic adjective
• pseudoaesthetic adjective

Etymology

Origin of aesthetic

First recorded in 1795–1800; from New Latin aesthēticus, from Greek aisthētikós “pertaining to sense perception, perceptible, sensitive,” equivalent to aisthēt(ḗs) ( aesthete ) + -ikos -ic

Example Sentences

In pursuit of aesthetic purity, these designs erase any trace of human labor or the complex mechanisms beneath the surface.

From Slate • Apr. 4, 2026

By the early 20th century, color had become a scientific and industrial problem as much as an aesthetic one.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

And while it didn’t exactly fly off the shelves, its concurrence with the height of the Seattle grunge music scene made the disheveled aesthetic a street-style must-have.

From Salon • Mar. 27, 2026

Meanwhile, the bedrooms feature the same rustic aesthetic and dark wood flooring and have enough space to hold a queen-sized bed, as well as large windows.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 18, 2026

Mr. Nossik's face reddened, which, in the aesthetic arrangement of things, matched the color scheme of his outfit perfectly.

From "100 Sideways Miles" by Andrew Smith

Related Words

• artistic
• creative