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aesthetics

   Also found in: Medical, Legal, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.01 sec.
aes·thet·ics or es·thet·ics  (s-thtks)
n.
1. (used with a sing. verb)
a. The branch of philosophy that deals with the nature and expression of beauty, as in the fine arts.
b. In Kantian philosophy, the branch of metaphysics concerned with the laws of perception.
2. (used with a sing. verb) The study of the psychological responses to beauty and artistic experiences.
3. (used with a sing. or pl. verb) A conception of what is artistically valid or beautiful: minimalist aesthetics.
4. (used with a sing. or pl. verb) An artistically beautiful or pleasing appearance: "They're looking for quality construction, not aesthetics" (Ron Schram).
aesthetics sometimes US, esthetics [iːsˈθɛtɪks ɪs-]
n (functioning as singular)
1. (Philosophy) the branch of philosophy concerned with the study of such concepts as beauty, taste, etc.
2. (Fine Arts & Visual Arts / Art Terms) the study of the rules and principles of art
[from Greek aisthētikos perceptible by the senses, from aisthesthai to perceive]
aesthetics, esthetics
a branch of philosophy dealing with beauty and the beautiful. — aesthete, aesthetic, n., adj. — aesthetical, adj.
See also: Philosophy
a branch of philosophy dealing with beauty and the beautiful. — aesthetic, n., adj. — aesthetical, adj.
See also: Beauty
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.aesthetics - (art) the branch of philosophy dealing with beauty and taste (emphasizing the evaluative criteria that are applied to art); "traditional aesthetics assumed the existence of universal and timeless criteria of artistic value"
esthetics
artistic creation, artistic production, art - the creation of beautiful or significant things; "art does not need to be innovative to be good"; "I was never any good at art"; "he said that architecture is the art of wasting space beautifully"
philosophy - the rational investigation of questions about existence and knowledge and ethics
Translations
aesthetics esthetics (US) [iːsˈθetɪks] N → estética fsing
aesthetics [iːsˈθɛtɪks] n → esthétique f
aesthetics, (US) esthetics
n sing → Ästhetik f
aesthetics esthetics (Am) [iːsˈθɛtɪks] nsg → estetica


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? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
There is indeed only one law of beauty on which we may rely,--that it invariably breaks all the laws laid down for it by the professors of aesthetics.
The Quest of the Golden Girl by le Gallienne, Richard View in context
The Muirhead Library of Philosophy was designed as a contribution to the History of Modern Philosophy under the heads: first of Different Schools of Thought--Sensationalist, Realist, Idealist, Intuitivist; secondly of different Subjects--Psychology, Ethics, Aesthetics, Political Philosophy, Theology.
The Analysis of Mind by Russell, Bertrand View in context
Of late years the Manilla rope has in the American fishery almost entirely superseded hemp as a material for whale-lines; for, though not so durable as hemp, it is stronger, and far more soft and elastic; and I will add (since there is an aesthetics in all things), is much more handsome and becoming to the boat, than hemp.
Moby Dick I-LXVII by Melville, Herman View in context
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