aesthetic

or es·thet·ic

[ es-thet-ikor, especially British, ees- ]

adjective

1. relating to the philosophy of aesthetics; concerned with notions such as the beautiful and the ugly.
2. relating to the science of aesthetics; concerned with the study of the mind and emotions in relation to the sense of beauty.
3. having a sense of the beautiful; characterized by a love of beauty.

   Synonyms: refined, cultivated, discriminating

4. relating to, involving, or concerned with pure emotion and sensation as opposed to pure intellectuality.

noun

1. 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.

2. a particular individual’s set of ideas about style and taste, along with its expression:

   the designer’s aesthetic of accessible, wearable fashion;

   a great aesthetic on her blog.

3. one’s set of principles or worldview as expressed through outward appearance, behavior, or actions:

   the democratic aesthetic of the abolitionists.

4. Archaic. the study of the nature of sensation.

aesthetic

/ ɪs-; iːsˈθɛtɪk /

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

1. a principle of taste or style adopted by a particular person, group, or culture

   the Bauhaus aesthetic of functional modernity

Derived Forms

• aesˈthetically, adverb

Other Words From

• nonaes·thetic adjective
• pseudo·aes·thetic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of aesthetic¹

First recorded in 1795–1800; from New Latin aesthēticus, from Greek aisthētikós “pertaining to sense perception, perceptible, sensitive,” equivalent to aisthēt(ḗs) ( aesthete ) + -ikos -ic

Example Sentences

The shifting balance of power between these aesthetic worldviews encapsulates the story of what happened when Japan was pried open to Western influences.

From Los Angeles Times

I loved it as a whole aesthetic, but I wanted to remove it from this motorcycling boy world.

From Los Angeles Times

It’s food that pushes the boundaries of art and aesthetics while still remaining true to its traditional flavors.

From Salon

The rest of the retro aesthetic is achieved with a desaturated color palette that is not well served by the digital photography and dim lighting.

From Los Angeles Times

“The colors and sepia-toned aesthetic of the intro set a cozy, nostalgic tone that aligns so well with the fall season, making it feel like a quintessential autumn show.”

From Los Angeles Times

Ashton Collins from Save Face, a voluntary register of accredited aesthetic practitioners, has been supporting some of the women who have complained of complications and injury after fat reduction treatment at Luxury Medical Aesthetics.

From BBC

Almost all her friends also smoke and she says it's more than just a habit, it's an aesthetic.

From BBC

Creating an aesthetic has been something popularised on TikTok, with Charli's brat girl summer seen as a rejection of other trends such as the "clean girl" who looks feminine and well kept.

From BBC

The electronic drops, the punk-goth aesthetics, the sounds of keyboards and drum machines — such musical ingredients reflected a time of nostalgia as well as revolution.

From Los Angeles Times

On an aesthetic level, while logos used to reign, the luxury labels that best capture the zeitgeist today are mastering a more subdued — but, importantly, not boring — design POV informed by personal style.

From Los Angeles Times

The first one closely followed traditional comic aesthetics and the second was a Day of the Dead-inspired cover that fully represented his vision.

From Los Angeles Times

In this contribution to the Getty-sponsored festival “PST Art: Art & Science Collide,” the breadth, both aesthetic and geographic, is wide.

From Los Angeles Times

Your hair, your aesthetic, your makeup — it’s armor.

From Los Angeles Times

Phillips appreciates the aesthetics of the ace, but he also appreciates the evolution of the game that allows him to play a key role in the postseason.

From Los Angeles Times

“But for Chivo, aesthetics exist only in function of the cinematic language. He understands that in a radical, even religious way.”

From Los Angeles Times

Thirteen new tracks that dive deeper into the slick electro aesthetics of the original.

From BBC

My response was abject horror at the thought of changing Yohji’s aesthetic choices, and to her credit she relented.

From Los Angeles Times

Your hair, your aesthetic, your makeup — it’s armor.

From Los Angeles Times

Whatever the gender of my future partner, I assumed that I would have children, that birthing them would ruin my body and that exhaustion would sap me of all aesthetic concern.

From Los Angeles Times

They depict her personal experiences of mental health struggles, including themes of anxiety and isolation, blending a minimalist, pop-art-inspired aesthetic with subdued tones, a spokesperson for the museum said.

From BBC

Ciccone was one of several gay men who had a formative influence on Madonna’s aesthetic and pop persona.

From Los Angeles Times

As for why mini totes — in particular — are all the craze right now, it's because they're aesthetic and unique.

From Salon

There’s always a place for prep, and Thom Browne sets the standard when it comes to this timeless aesthetic.

From Los Angeles Times

Behind the aesthetics of youth, however, Turning Point candidates are among the most conservative Republicans.

From Salon

"The beauty companies and the online aesthetic companies all seemed to have it."

From BBC

Related Words

• artistic
• creative
• esthetic

About This Word

What else does aesthetic mean?

Aesthetic concerns what is considered beautiful.

In pop culture, an aesthetic refers to the overall style of someone or something, like a musical sound, interior design, or even a social-media presence.

In the 2010s, the term became closely associated with vaporwave culture on Tumblr.

Where did the term aesthetic come from?

Tumblr kids might want to imagine that they made up aesthetic, but they ultimately have 18th-century German philosopher Alexander Baumgarten for coining aesthetics, recorded in English in the 1760–70s. Treated in ancient and modern philosophy alike, aesthetics considers how humans experience and appreciate beauty, art, and taste.

Fast forward to the 2010s, when the music genre vaporwave helped bring the term aesthetic to the mainstream. Several releases were influential in popularizing the term, including Macintosh Plus’s album Floral Shoppe (2012) and Savvy J’s video “AESTHETIC” (2013).

Vaporwave had a very defined aesthetic—or the curated appearance or style of something, especially when it comes to a look, art, or design, a sense of the word which dates back to the 1950s. Its album covers featured 1980–90s graphics, bright, airbrushed pinks and purples, and images of classical statues and retro technology. While people in vaporwave culture were proud of their aesthetic, others began to satirize its originality online.

Meanwhile, many on social media sites like Tumblr began cultivating blogs with a particular aesthetic, typically based on a particular theme, look, feel, or interest—helping to make this fancy, philosophical word with Greek roots a more common term for “beautiful” or “well-styled.”

How to use the term aesthetic

Aesthetic is both a noun and adjective and is used by everyone from philosophers to bloggers. Something that has aesthetic appeal is very beautiful, attractive, or stylish. Something that has a certain aesthetic features a well-defined and well-cultivated style (e.g., a shabby chic aesthetic, goth aesthetic, or minimalist aesthetic in one’s dress, home, lifestyle, or work). Having a recognizable aesthetic is considered complementary and very desirable, especially in an age of personal brands.

Fashion and football and lip syncing and the gay dance club aesthetic are finally united – its about time

— Jeff Skin Wade (@SkinWade) February 6, 2012

my aesthetic is flamin hot cheetos fingers

— matt gee (@mattgee) July 18, 2017

More examples of aesthetic:

“Pop stars, such as rising artist Rina Sawayama, have adopted the aesthetic and made it a central part of their image, both aesthetically and sonically. Charli XCX and Troye Sivan even released a tribute track entitled “1999,” with album artwork featuring the two artists dressed as characters from “The Matrix,” a film essential to the development of the early 2000s aesthetic.”
—Michael Wu, Study Breaks, October 2018

Note

This content is not meant to be a formal definition of this term. Rather, it is an informal summary that seeks to provide supplemental information and context important to know or keep in mind about the term’s history, meaning, and usage.