aesthetic

Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Legal, Financial, Encyclopedia.

aes·thet·ic

or es·thet·ic (ĕs-thĕt′ĭk)

adj.

1. Relating to the philosophy or theories of aesthetics.

a. Of or concerning the appreciation of beauty or good taste: aesthetic judgment; the aesthetic appeal of the exhibit.

b. Attractive or appealing: the more aesthetic features of the building.

3. Characterized by a heightened sensitivity to beauty: the poet and his aesthetic friends.

4. Being or relating to a work of art; artistic: The play was an aesthetic success.

5. Informal Conforming to accepted notions of good taste.

6. often Aesthetic Of or characteristic of aestheticism in the arts.

1. A guiding principle in matters of artistic beauty and taste; artistic sensibility: "a generous Age of Aquarius aesthetic that said that everything was art" (William Wilson).

2. An underlying principle, a set of principles, or a view often manifested by outward appearances or style of behavior: "What troubled him was the squalor of [the colonel's] aesthetic" (Lewis H. Lapham).

[German ästhetisch, from New Latin aesthēticus, from Greek aisthētikos, of sense perception, from aisthēta, perceptible things, from aisthanesthai, to perceive; see au- in Indo-European roots.]

aes·thet′i·cal·ly adv.

aesthetic

(iːsˈθɛtɪk; ɪs-) or

esthetic

adj

1. (Art Terms) connected with aesthetics or its principles

a. relating to pure beauty rather than to other considerations

b. artistic or relating to good taste: an aesthetic consideration.

(Art Terms) a principle of taste or style adopted by a particular person, group, or culture: the Bauhaus aesthetic of functional modernity.

aesˈthetically, esˈthetically adv

aes•thet•ic

or es•thet•ic

(ɛsˈθɛt ɪk)

adj.

1. pertaining to a sense of beauty or to aesthetics.

2. having a love of beauty.

3. concerned with emotion and sensation as opposed to intellectuality.

4. a theory or idea of what is aesthetically valid.

[1815–25; < New Latin < Greek]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Noun	1.	aesthetic - (philosophy) a philosophical theory as to what is beautiful; "he despised the esthetic of minimalism" esthetic philosophy - the rational investigation of questions about existence and knowledge and ethics philosophical doctrine, philosophical theory - a doctrine accepted by adherents to a philosophy
Adj.	1.	aesthetic - relating to or dealing with the subject of aesthetics; "aesthetic values" esthetic
	2.	aesthetic - concerning or characterized by an appreciation of beauty or good taste; "the aesthetic faculties"; "an aesthetic person"; "aesthetic feeling"; "the illustrations made the book an aesthetic success" aesthetical, esthetic, esthetical inaesthetic, unaesthetic - violating aesthetic canons or requirements; deficient in tastefulness or beauty; "inaesthetic and quite unintellectual"; "peered through those inaesthetic spectacles"
	3.	aesthetic - aesthetically pleasing; "an artistic flower arrangement" artistic, esthetic tasteful - having or showing or conforming to good taste

aesthetic

adjective ornamental, artistic, pleasing, pretty, fancy, enhancing, decorative, tasteful, beautifying, nonfunctional products chosen for their aesthetic appeal as well as their durability

aesthetic

or esthetic
adjective

Informal. Showing good taste:

artistic, tasteful, tasty.

Translations

естетичен

estetický

Ästhetik ästhetisch

estética estético

esteettinenestetiikka

esthétique

estetico estetica

esthetica esthetischesthetische

estética estético

эстетический

estetik

aesthetic

esthetic (US) [iːsˈθetɪk] ADJ → estético

aesthetic

[iːsˈθɛtɪk] adj [appeal] → esthétique

aesthetic(al)

, (US) esthetic(al)

adj → ästhetisch; an aesthetical discussion → eine Diskussion über Ästhetik

aesthetic

esthetic (Am) [iːsˈθɛtɪk] adj → estetico/a

References in classic literature ?

I speak now from the aesthetic and artistic point of view when I say that life with us is dull; aesthetically and artistically, very dull indeed.

View in context

In the earlier series of books containing, among others, Bosanquet's "History of Aesthetic," Pfleiderer's "Rational Theology since Kant," Albee's "History of English Utilitarianism," Bonar's "Philosophy and Political Economy," Brett's "History of Psychology," Ritchie's "Natural Rights," these objects were to a large extent effected.

View in context

One of them is a young man from Boston,--an aesthetic young man, who talks about its being "a real Corot day," etc.

View in context

The artist, painter, poet, or musician, by his decoration, sublime or beautiful, satisfies the aesthetic sense; but that is akin to the sexual instinct, and shares its barbarity: he lays before you also the greater gift of himself.

View in context

But there are perchance, other readers, who have not found it useless to study the aesthetic and philosophic thought concealed in this book, and who have taken pleasure, while reading "Notre-Dame-de-Paris," in unravelling beneath the romance something else than the romance, and in following

View in context

Surely there is nothing in the canaille to recommend it to your aesthetic soul.

View in context

And though I had been surrounded by women all my days, my appreciation of them had been aesthetic and nothing more.

View in context

It arose from a picture, from two pictures and also from a phrase pronounced by a man, who in the science of life and in the perception of aesthetic truth had no equal in the world of culture.

View in context

He had looked out all the pictures to which an asterisk was affixed in those formidable pages of fine print in his Badeker; his attention had been strained and his eyes dazzled, and he had sat down with an aesthetic headache.

View in context

This effect of the volume, for the eye, would have made it, as presumably the newest French novel--and evidently, from the attitude of the reader, "good"--consort happily with the special tone of the room, a consistent air of selection and suppression, one of the finer aesthetic evolutions.

View in context

Those lectures of Lowell's had a great influence with me, and I tried to like whatever they bade me like, after a fashion common to young people when they begin to read criticisms; their aesthetic pride is touched; they wish to realize that they too can feel the fine things the critic admires.

View in context

Her chromo-trained aesthetic sense exceeded its education and told her that here were beauty and wonder.