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View synonyms for aesthetics

aesthetics

or es·thet·ics

[ es-thet-iksor, especially British, ees- ]

noun

, (used with a singular verb)
  1. the branch of philosophy dealing with such notions as the beautiful, the ugly, the sublime, the comic, etc., as applicable to the fine arts, with a view to establishing the meaning and validity of critical judgments concerning works of art, and the principles underlying or justifying such judgments.
  2. the study of the mind and emotions in relation to the sense of beauty.


aesthetics

/ iːsˈθɛtɪks; ɪs- /

noun

  1. the branch of philosophy concerned with the study of such concepts as beauty, taste, etc
  2. the study of the rules and principles of art
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


aesthetics

  1. The branch of philosophy concerned with the nature of art and with judgments concerning beauty. “What is art?” and “What do we mean when we say something is beautiful?” are two questions often asked by aestheticians.


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Notes

The term aesthete is sometimes used negatively to describe someone whose pursuit of beauty is excessive or appears phony.
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Word History and Origins

Origin of aesthetics1

First recorded in 1815–25; aesthetic, -ics
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Word History and Origins

Origin of aesthetics1

C18: from Greek aisthētikos perceptible by the senses, from aisthesthai to perceive
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Example Sentences

Some of the pre-eminent innovators at the intersection of art and coding are based at the Aesthetics and Computation Group at MIT.

We often talk about religion in terms of commitment and ideology, but the aesthetics and experience matter, too.

Think aesthetics as politics, and academic credentials as peerage.

It was a tense matchup that made up in suspense for what it lacked in aesthetics.

Though the designers have markedly different aesthetics, both articulate how intrinsic personalization is to the process.

Culture is desirable; but the welfare of nations is based on morals rather than on aesthetics.

Many of the books necessary to a first-hand study of the subject are cited in the article Aesthetics.

Two more reflections appear completely to meet the objection that art or aesthetics is not entitled to the name of science.

The following year, 1795, appeared his most important contribution to aesthetics, in his Aesthetical Letters.

He held forth on the love of ornament—the cottage parlour moved him thereto—and its connection with aesthetics.

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aesthetic labouraestival