aesthetics

American  

[es-thet-iks, ees-] / ɛsˈθɛt ɪks, is- /

Or esthetics

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.

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aesthetics British  

/ 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

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aesthetics Cultural  

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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Discover More

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

Etymology

Origin of aesthetics

First recorded in 1815–25; aesthetic, -ics

Example Sentences

"It was really about the aesthetics of the piece," he added.

From Barron's

With scents like Moonlit Masquerade and Raspberry Rendezvous—and emblazoned with floral motifs instantly recognizable to “Bridgerton” fans—the show’s aesthetics propelled sales.

From The Wall Street Journal

The instrument also paved the way to an aesthetics of electricity—feedback, distortion, fuzz, sheer volume—that led to such genres as heavy metal, punk, grunge and shoegaze.

From The Wall Street Journal

It wasn’t just aesthetics and aroma that inspired Marantos to garden.

From Los Angeles Times

So what if the price to pay is a tour with aesthetics completely divorced from the narrative and concept of her hit album?

From Salon