aesthetics

[ es-thet-iks or, esp. British, ees- ]

/ ɛsˈθɛt ɪks or, esp. British, is- /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR aesthetics ON THESAURUS.COM

noun (used with a singular verb)

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.

the study of the mind and emotions in relation to the sense of beauty.

RELATED WORDS

esthetics

Nearby words

Also esthetics.

Origin of aesthetics

First recorded in 1815–25; see origin at aesthetic, -ics

aesthetic

or es·thet·ic

[ es-thet-ik or, esp. British, ees- ]

/ ɛsˈθɛt ɪk or, esp. British, is- /

adjective

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

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

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

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

noun

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.

one’s set of principles or worldview as expressed through outward appearance, behavior, or actions: the democratic aesthetic of the abolitionists.

Archaic. the study of the nature of sensation.

Origin of aesthetic

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

SYNONYMS FOR aesthetic

3. discriminating, cultivated, refined.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR aesthetic ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formsnon·aes·thet·ic, adjectivepseu·do·aes·thet·ic, adjective

Can be confusedacetic aesthetic ascetic

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for aesthetics

Some of the pre-eminent innovators at the intersection of art and coding are based at the Aesthetics and Computation Group at MIT.
Frickin’ Laser Beams Run by Eyeballs: The Next Art Revolution Is Here|Nico Hines|July 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We often talk about religion in terms of commitment and ideology, but the aesthetics and experience matter, too.
Is American Christianity Becoming a Workout Cult?|Michael Schulson|April 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was a tense matchup that made up in suspense for what it lacked in aesthetics.
Seahawks-Broncos and 7 Other Thrilling Super Bowl Matchups|Ben Jacobs|February 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Go ahead, write M.I.A. off as a faux-radical relying on the aesthetics of revolution to sell records.
M.I.A.’s ‘Matangi’ Is A Defiantly Personal Reclamation of the Brown Girl Narrative|Rawiya Kameir|November 8, 2013|DAILY BEAST

Of course, the aesthetics on view here are all about comedy, and irony and poking fun and paradox.
Gum, Glorious Gum|Blake Gopnik|October 31, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Hermann, who won good rank as a poet, and was one of the very foremost of our aesthetics, was much older than we.
The Story Of My Life From Childhood To Manhood|Georg Ebers
But it was the book on Aesthetics that charmed me most of all.
Recollections Of My Childhood And Youth|George Brandes
Must there be a permanent and necessary divorce between Ethics and Aesthetics?
The Trial of Oscar Wilde|Anonymous
All systems of aesthetics must be based on personal experience—that is to say, they must be subjective.
Art|Clive Bell
Miser's fallacy, its parallel in morals and aesthetics, 31, 32.
The Sense of Beauty|George Santayana

British Dictionary definitions for aesthetics

aesthetics

sometimes US esthetics

/ (iːsˈθɛtɪks, ɪs-) /

noun (functioning as singular)

the branch of philosophy concerned with the study of such concepts as beauty, taste, etc

the study of the rules and principles of art

Word Origin for aesthetics

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

aesthetic

sometimes US esthetic

/ (iːsˈθɛtɪk, ɪs-) /

adjective Also: aesthetical, sometimes US esthetical

connected with aesthetics or its principles

relating to pure beauty rather than to other considerations
artistic or relating to good tastean aesthetic consideration

noun

a principle of taste or style adopted by a particular person, group, or culturethe Bauhaus aesthetic of functional modernity

Derived Formsaesthetically or sometimes US esthetically, adverb

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

Word Origin and History for aesthetics

aesthetics

1803, from aesthetic (also see -ics).

aesthetic

1798, from German Ästhetisch or French esthétique, both from Greek aisthetikos "sensitive, perceptive," from aisthanesthai "to perceive (by the senses or by the mind), to feel," from PIE *awis-dh-yo-, from root *au- "to perceive" (see audience).

Popularized in English by translation of Immanuel Kant, and used originally in the classically correct sense "the science which treats of the conditions of sensuous perception." Kant had tried to correct the term after Alexander Baumgarten had taken it in German to mean "criticism of taste" (1750s), but Baumgarten's sense attained popularity in English c.1830s (despite scholarly resistance) and removed the word from any philosophical base. Walter Pater used it (1868) to describe the late 19c. movement that advocated "art for art's sake," which further blurred the sense. As an adjective by 1803. Related: Aesthetically.

Medicine definitions for aesthetics

aesthetics

n.

The study of psychological aspects of beauty, especially with the components thereof as they relate to appearance.

aesthetic

adj.

Relating to the sensations.

Relating to esthetics.

Culture definitions for aesthetics

aesthetics

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.

Note

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

aesthetics

noun (used with a singular verb)

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RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of aesthetics

aesthetic

or es·thet·ic

adjective

noun

Origin of aesthetic

Examples from the Web for aesthetics

aesthetics

sometimes US esthetics

noun (functioning as singular)

Word Origin for aesthetics

aesthetic

sometimes US esthetic

adjective Also: aesthetical, sometimes US esthetical

noun

aesthetics

aesthetic

aesthetics

n.

aesthetic

adj.

aesthetics

Note