# aesthetic

/ɛsˈθɛtɪk/ (US) · /iːsθˈɛtɪk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/aesthetic
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. related to beauty

adjective · CEFR B2

connected to beauty or the way something looks.

For teachers: relating to the appreciation of beauty or good taste.

- The building was designed for aesthetic reasons rather than just to be useful.
- The committee rejected the proposal on purely aesthetic grounds, arguing that the modern glass tower would clash with the historic stone cathedral.

### 2. a specific style

noun · CEFR B2

a particular style or 'vibe' that makes someone or something look a certain way.

For teachers: a set of principles underlying and guiding the work of a particular artist or artistic movement.

- The café has a very clean, modern aesthetic with lots of plants.
- Her photography captures a nostalgic aesthetic, using soft lighting and grainy textures to evoke a sense of the 1970s.

### 3. study of beauty

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic

the study of what makes things beautiful, especially in art.

For teachers: the branch of philosophy that deals with the nature and expression of beauty.

- In college, she took a class on the aesthetic of ancient Greek sculpture.
- The professor's lecture focused on the evolution of the aesthetic in European portraiture during the Renaissance.

## Examples

- The new office has a very clean and modern aesthetic.
- The director chose a dark, moody aesthetic to match the serious tone of the film's script.
- While the building's exterior maintains a traditional gothic aesthetic, the interior has been completely gutted and replaced with minimalist glass and steel structures.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.