gorgeous
Americanadjective
-
strikingly beautiful or magnificent
gorgeous array
a gorgeous girl
-
informal extremely pleasing, fine, or good
gorgeous weather
Synonym Usage
See magnificent.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of gorgeous
First recorded in 1490–1500; earlier gorgeouse, from Old French gorgias “fashionable, elegant,” of uncertain origin, perhaps connected to gorge “throat”; see gorge
Explanation
Reach for the adjective gorgeous to describe jaw-droppingly beautiful, magnificent people or things. Good-looking is one thing. Beautiful is another. But reserve gorgeous for the kind of looks that take your breath away. Some synonyms include resplendent, dazzling, spectacular, and splendid. We know that the word comes from Old French gorgias, meaning "elegant," but beyond that it's hard to say for sure. It might have something to do with fancy necklaces adorning the throat — la gorge in French. If calling someone gorgeous isn't enough, pack some extra punch and say "drop-dead gorgeous" instead.
Vocabulary lists containing gorgeous
"The Great Gatsby," Chapter 1 Vocabulary
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Call of Beauty: Synonyms for "Beautiful"
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "G"
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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.
Also included is what has become a trademark for the band’s reissue sets, a gorgeous full-color 100-page book of liner notes, interviews, lyrics, photographs and other assorted documentation.
From Salon ● Nov. 3, 2026
Actress Julianne Moore recently opened the doors of her gorgeous West Village duplex penthouse for an apartment tour with Architectural Digest.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 2, 2026
“One Man” is a gorgeous slice of baroque pop, with acoustic guitar and a string quartet, and on the swooning ballad “Where Is Gone?”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026
If she’d said no, I would’ve been heartbroken because I think “Miss America” is gorgeous — I’m really proud to be part of it.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
Zac Efron was even more gorgeous in person and way nicer than I imagined.
From "Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles
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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.
