adj · noun · 9 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation, contemporary:/ɛsˈθɛ.tɪk/
Received-Pronunciation, contemporary:/əsˈθɛ.tɪk/
Received-Pronunciation, contemporary:/iːsˈθɛ.tɪk/
General-American:/ɛsˈθɛ.tɪk/
General-American:/əsˈθɛ.tɪk/
General-American:/ɪsˈθɛtɪk/
US, nonstandard:/-tɛtɪk/
/ɪsˈθɛ.tɪk/other UK
/æsˈθɛ.tɪk/also, spelling pronunciation
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɛtɪk
CMU ARPABET:EH0 S TH EH1 T IH0 K
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Concerned with beauty, artistic effect, or appearance.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
It works well enough, but the shabby exterior offends his aesthetic sensibilities.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Beautiful or appealing to one's sense of beauty or art.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: proscribed, rare
Examples
The design of the lobby cannot be considered particularly aesthetic.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: aesthetical, tasteful
Antonyms: inaesthetic, unaesthetic
3
noun
Meaning 3
The study of art or beauty.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: plural-normally
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
That which appeals to the senses.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: in-plural, often
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
The set of artistic motifs defining a collection of things, especially works of art; more broadly, their aura or “vibe”.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Her most recent works have this quirky, nonchalant aesthetic inspired by ’90s teen culture.
I really like the goth aesthetic you've got going there.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
adjective
Meaning 6
concerning or characterized by an appreciation of beauty or good taste
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the aesthetic faculties
an aesthetic person
aesthetic feeling
the illustrations made the book an aesthetic success
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: esthetic, aesthetical, esthetical
Antonyms: inaesthetic
7
adjective
Meaning 7
relating to or dealing with the subject of aesthetics
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
aesthetic values
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: esthetic
Antonyms: none provided
8
adjective satellite
Meaning 8
aesthetically pleasing
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
an artistic flower arrangement
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: esthetic, artistic
Antonyms: none provided
9
noun
Meaning 9
(philosophy) a philosophical theory as to what is beautiful
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
he despised the esthetic of minimalism
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: esthetic
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: philosophical doctrine, philosophical theory
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h2ew- Proto-Indo-European *dheh1- Proto-Indo-European *h2ewis-dhh1 Proto-Hellenic *awisthomai Ancient Greek αἰσθάνομαι (aisthánomai) Proto-Indo-European *-tis Ancient Greek -τις (-tis) Ancient Greek -σῐς (-sĭs) Ancient Greek αἴσθησῐς (aísthēsĭs) Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Hellenic *-kos Ancient Greek -κός (-kós) Ancient Greek -ῐκός (-ĭkós) Ancient Greek αἰσθητικός (aisthētikós)bor. Latin aesthēticusder. German Ästhetikder. ▲ New Latin aesthēticusbor. French esthétiqueder. English aesthetic 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.
Across languages
Translations
72 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Armenian:
գեղագիտական
(geġagitakan)
— concerned with beauty
Asturian:
estéticu
— concerned with beauty
Belarusian:
эстэты́чны
(estetýčny)
— concerned with beauty
Bulgarian:
естетичен
(estetičen)
— concerned with beauty
Bulgarian:
изящен
(izjašten)
— concerned with beauty
Catalan:
estètic
— concerned with beauty
Chinese Mandarin:
審美的 /审美的
(shěnměi de)
— concerned with beauty
Czech:
estetický
— concerned with beauty
Danish:
æstetisk
— concerned with beauty
Dutch:
esthetisch
— concerned with beauty
Esperanto:
estetika
— concerned with beauty
Faroese:
fagurfrøðiligur
— concerned with beauty
Faroese:
listfrøðiligur
— concerned with beauty
Finnish:
esteettinen
— concerned with beauty
French:
esthétique
— concerned with beauty
Galician:
estético
— concerned with beauty
Georgian:
ესთეტიკური
(esteṭiḳuri)
— concerned with beauty
German:
ästhetisch
— concerned with beauty
Greek:
αισθητικός
(aisthitikós)
— concerned with beauty
Hungarian:
esztétikus
— concerned with beauty
Icelandic:
sjónrænn
— concerned with beauty
Indonesian:
estetik
— concerned with beauty
Indonesian:
estetis
— concerned with beauty
Irish:
aeistéitiúil
— concerned with beauty
Irish:
aeistéitice
— concerned with beauty
Italian:
estetico
— concerned with beauty
Japanese:
美的な
(biteki na)
— concerned with beauty
Kazakh:
эстетикалық
(éstetikalyq)
— concerned with beauty
Korean:
미적
(mijeok)
— concerned with beauty
Latvian:
estētisks
— concerned with beauty
Malay:
estetik
— concerned with beauty
Māori:
rerehua
— concerned with beauty
Norwegian Bokmål:
estetisk
— concerned with beauty
Norwegian Nynorsk:
estetisk
— concerned with beauty
Polish:
estetyczny
— concerned with beauty
Portuguese:
estético
— concerned with beauty
Russian:
эстети́ческий
(estetíčeskij)
— concerned with beauty
Spanish:
estético
— concerned with beauty
Swedish:
estetisk
— concerned with beauty
Turkish:
estetik
— concerned with beauty
Ukrainian:
естети́чний
(estetýčnyj)
— concerned with beauty
Chinese Mandarin:
美觀的 /美观的
(měiguān de)
— appealing to one's sense of beauty
Dutch:
esthetisch
— appealing to one's sense of beauty
Finnish:
esteettinen
— appealing to one's sense of beauty
German:
ästhetisch
— appealing to one's sense of beauty
Polish:
estetyczny
— appealing to one's sense of beauty
Russian:
эстети́чный
(estetíčnyj)
— appealing to one's sense of beauty
Chinese Mandarin:
感官享受
(gǎnguān xiǎngshòu)
— that which appeals to the senses
Danish:
æstetik
— that which appeals to the senses
Dutch:
esthetische
— that which appeals to the senses
Esperanto:
estetiko
— that which appeals to the senses
Faroese:
fagurfrøði
— that which appeals to the senses
Faroese:
listfrøði
— that which appeals to the senses
Finnish:
estetiikka
— that which appeals to the senses
French:
esthétique
— that which appeals to the senses
Galician:
estética
— that which appeals to the senses
Georgian:
ესთეტიკა
(esteṭiḳa)
— that which appeals to the senses
German:
Ästhetik
— that which appeals to the senses
German:
(stilvolle) Schönheit
— that which appeals to the senses
Hungarian:
esztétika
— that which appeals to the senses
Irish:
aeistéitiúil
— that which appeals to the senses
Polish:
estetyka
— that which appeals to the senses
Polish:
estetyzm
— that which appeals to the senses
Portuguese:
estética
— that which appeals to the senses
Russian:
эсте́тика
(estétika)
— that which appeals to the senses
Swedish:
estetik
— that which appeals to the senses
Chinese Mandarin:
藝術氛圍 /艺术氛围
(yìshù fēnwéi)
— set of artistic motifs
