aesthetic

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun (philosophy) a philosophical theory as to what is beautiful
  2. adjective relating to or dealing with the subject of aesthetics
  3. adjective concerning or characterized by an appreciation of beauty or good taste

Etymology

From German Ästhetik or French esthétique, both from New Latin aesthēticus, itself borrowed from Ancient Greek αἰσθητικός (aisthētikós, “of sense perception”), from αἰσθάνομαι (aisthánomai, “to feel”); analysable as aesthe(sis) + -tic. Cognates include Proto-Germanic *awiz (“obvious”), Sanskrit आविस् (āvís, “manifestly, evidently”) and Latin audiō.

In classic literature

Synonyms

esthetic

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