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

The category covers a wide range of specialities, from general practice to skin complaints, women's health, and aesthetics.

From BBC

Creation comes naturally to both of them; playing with personal aesthetics is a means of liberating oneself from the status quo.

From Salon

While these types of exhibitions are often an exercise in hunting for an aesthetic needle in a mind-numbing haystack, the quality here is surprisingly consistent with happy discoveries around almost every corner.

From The Wall Street Journal

At Mrs. Riley’s boardinghouse, Ryui is taken under the wing of Torajiro “Jack” Baba, a cynical photographer with an avant-garde aesthetic.

From The Wall Street Journal

Back in 2023, that prestige was bestowed upon tomatoes, which moved beyond the grocery store aisles to become an aesthetic and a way of life with the so-called “Tomato Girl Summer” micro trend.

From Salon

Related Words

• artistic
• creative