aesthetics

[es-thet-iks or, esp. British, ees-] /ɛsˈθɛt ɪks or, esp. British, is-/
noun, (used with a singular verb)
1.
the branch of philosophy dealing with such notions as the beautiful, the ugly, the sublime, the comic, etc., as applicable to the fine arts, with a view to establishing the meaning and validity of critical judgments concerning works of art, and the principles underlying or justifying such judgments.
2.
the study of the mind and emotions in relation to the sense of beauty.
Also, esthetics.
Origin
1815-25; see aesthetic, -ics

aesthetic

[es-thet-ik or, esp. British, ees-] /ɛsˈθɛt ɪk or, esp. British, is-/
adjective
1.
pertaining to a sense of the beautiful or to the philosophy of aesthetics.
2.
of or pertaining to the study of the mind and emotions in relation to the sense of beauty; of or relating to the science of aesthetics.
3.
having a sense of the beautiful; characterized by a love of beauty.
4.
pertaining to, involving, or concerned with pure emotion and sensation as opposed to pure intellectuality.
noun
5.
the philosophical theory or set of principles governing the idea of beauty at a given time and place:
the clean lines, bare surfaces, and sense of space that bespeak the machine-age aesthetic; the Cubist aesthetic.
6.
Archaic. the study of the nature of sensation.
Also, esthetic.
Origin
1815-25; < Neo-Latin aestheticus < Greek aisthētikós, equivalent to aisthēt(ḗs) (see aesthete) + -ikos -ic
Related forms
nonaesthetic, adjective
pseudoaesthetic, adjective
Can be confused
acetic, aesthetic, ascetic.
Synonyms
2. discriminating, cultivated, refined.
Examples from the web for aesthetics
  • Logic, order, and aesthetics must certainly be part of that.
  • At the same time the aesthetics are intact and the site impressive.
  • The book is simple by design but profound in aesthetics and implication.
  • The trail changes in topography, but not aesthetics.
  • Narrow your focus because it's easier to know more about a specific area in terms of pricing, quality, aesthetics.
  • When he levels off a cup of flour with the back of a knife, he is thinking about aesthetics, not ratios.
  • The chintzy plastic aesthetics are definitely not a selling point.
  • She chose to skim over all the iconography there and instead took pleasure in the sheer aesthetics of the piece.
  • It's not just about the aesthetics of having smaller electronics.
  • He talks like that: in formal cadences and with elevated diction that seems to contradict the biker-dude aesthetics.
British Dictionary definitions for aesthetics

aesthetics

/iːsˈθɛtɪks; ɪs-/
noun (functioning as sing)
1.
the branch of philosophy concerned with the study of such concepts as beauty, taste, etc
2.
the study of the rules and principles of art
Word Origin
C18: from Greek aisthētikos perceptible by the senses, from aisthesthai to perceive

aesthetic

/iːsˈθɛtɪk; ɪs-/
adjective
1.
connected with aesthetics or its principles
2.
  1. relating to pure beauty rather than to other considerations
  2. artistic or relating to good taste: an aesthetic consideration
noun
3.
a principle of taste or style adopted by a particular person, group, or culture: the Bauhaus aesthetic of functional modernity
Derived Forms
aesthetically, (sometimes US) esthetically, adverb
Word Origin and History for aesthetics
n.

1803, from aesthetic (also see -ics).

aesthetic

n.

1798, from German Ästhetisch or French esthétique, both from Greek aisthetikos "sensitive, perceptive," from aisthanesthai "to perceive (by the senses or by the mind), to feel," from PIE *awis-dh-yo-, from root *au- "to perceive" (see audience).

Popularized in English by translation of Immanuel Kant, and used originally in the classically correct sense "the science which treats of the conditions of sensuous perception." Kant had tried to correct the term after Alexander Baumgarten had taken it in German to mean "criticism of taste" (1750s), but Baumgarten's sense attained popularity in English c.1830s (despite scholarly resistance) and removed the word from any philosophical base. Walter Pater used it (1868) to describe the late 19c. movement that advocated "art for art's sake," which further blurred the sense. As an adjective by 1803. Related: Aesthetically.

aesthetics in Medicine

aesthetic aes·thet·ic or es·thet·ic (ěs-thět'ĭk)
adj.

  1. Relating to the sensations.

  2. Relating to esthetics.

aesthetics aes·thet·ics or es·thet·ics (ěs-thět'ĭks)
n.
The study of psychological aspects of beauty, especially with the components thereof as they relate to appearance.

aesthetics in Culture

aesthetics definition


The branch of philosophy concerned with the nature of art and with judgments concerning beauty. “What is art?” and “What do we mean when we say something is beautiful?” are two questions often asked by aestheticians.

Note: The term aesthete is sometimes used negatively to describe someone whose pursuit of beauty is excessive or appears phony.