aesthetic
Americanadjective
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relating to the philosophy of aesthetics; concerned with notions such as the beautiful and the ugly.
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relating to the science of aesthetics; concerned with the study of the mind and emotions in relation to the sense of beauty.
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having a sense of the beautiful; characterized by a love of beauty.
- Synonyms:
- refined, cultivated, discriminating
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relating to, involving, or concerned with pure emotion and sensation as opposed to pure intellectuality.
noun
-
aesthetics
plural
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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.
-
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.
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one’s set of principles or worldview as expressed through outward appearance, behavior, or actions.
the democratic aesthetic of the abolitionists.
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Archaic. the study of the nature of sensation.
adjective
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connected with aesthetics or its principles
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relating to pure beauty rather than to other considerations
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artistic or relating to good taste
an aesthetic consideration
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noun
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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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) ( see aesthete) + -ikos -ic
Explanation
The adjective aesthetic comes in handy when the subject at hand is beauty or the arts. A velvet painting of dogs playing poker might have minimal aesthetic appeal. Aesthetic, from a Greek word meaning "perception," comes to us from German philosophers who used it for a theory of the beautiful. From this technical sense, it soon came to refer to good taste and to artistry in general; if something has "aesthetic value," it has value as a work of art (even if nobody will pay much for it). It does not, however, refer to the objects themselves; do not talk about an "aesthetic painting."
Vocabulary lists containing aesthetic
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“Her sound and aesthetic feel exactly like her. It’s vulnerable and raw and beautiful.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2026
Some people may choose an aesthetic practitioner over the NHS, she said, as they believe they will have more choice about how their lips will look after.
From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2026
What connects this place of worship to a band known for its macabre aesthetic, however, is its music video for the song “Helena” from the album “Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2026
The property’s design is a stark contrast from the eclectic, maximalist aesthetic the cartwheeling designer has become known for, boasting a sleek open concept with a neutral color palette and exposed wood ceiling beams.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 27, 2026
The gamelan orchestras of southeast Asia, for example, have an aesthetic preference for the "lively and full" sounds that come from instruments playing near, not on, the same pitch.
From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones
Indie developers often lean on retro games aesthetics not just because people respond well to them – but also because they are easier to achieve.
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026
From this wreckage, a uniquely Latina vision of gothic aesthetics emerged as a form of cultural double-vision.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026
In the following I will attempt to describe how finances express themselves in vehicle aesthetics.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 24, 2026
Strength training is not about aesthetics or performance.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 2, 2026
The government of Nepal recognized that the throngs flocking to Everest created serious problems in terms of safety, aesthetics, and impact to the environment.
From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
