ENGLISH
REFERENCE

gorgeous

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford US //ˈɡɔɹdʒəs// UK //ɡˈɔːdʒəs// gor·geous Archaic General-service

adj. extremely beautiful or attractive. You can use it to describe people, places, or even a delicious meal.

adj. exceptionally beautiful, attractive, or pleasant to the senses. While often applied to physical appearance, it also functions as an emphatic synonym for 'excellent' or 'delightful' in informal contexts.


SIMPLE

The weather is absolutely gorgeous today.

CONTEXTUAL

She wore a gorgeous silk dress to the wedding that caught everyone's attention.

COMPLEX

The hikers reached the summit just in time to witness a gorgeous sunset that painted the entire valley in shades of deep violet and gold.

Origin

From Middle English gorgeouse, a borrowing from Middle French gorgias (“elegant, fashionable”), from Old French gourgias, gorgias (“gorgeous, gaudy, flaunting, gallant, fine”), of uncertain origin, but apparently connected with Old French gorgias (“a gorget, ruffle for the neck”), from Old French gorge (“bosom, throat”). See gorge. Semantic evolution probably akin to "swelling of the throat or bosom due to pride, bridling up" to "assume an air of importance, flaunting".

Usage

A gradable adjective often intensified with 'absolutely' or 'simply' rather than 'very'.

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