17 October 2015
aesthetics
[es-thet-iks or, esp. British, ees-]
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 of aesthetics
1815-1825; see aesthetic, -ics
aestheticor esthetic
[es-thet-ik or, esp. 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.
4. relating 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.
Origin
1815-25; < New 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.
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for aesthetics
Contemporary Examples
To Vorotnikov and his wife, aesthetics and diplomacy have long ceased being a part of the discussion.
Russian Protesters Use Art as Act of War
Anna Nemtsova
January 5, 2012
The newspaper interviews two industrial designers—both of whom place value on the aesthetics of more “invisible” technologies.
Jennifer Lawrence Gets ‘Chopped’; Viktor & Rolf Return to Couture
The Fashion Beast Team
April 21, 2013
We often talk about religion in terms of commitment and ideology, but the aesthetics and experience matter, too.
Is American Christianity Becoming a Workout Cult?
Michael Schulson
April 26, 2014
Anagram
teaches its
Today’s quote
You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.
– Mark Twain
On this day
17 October 1814 – London Beer Flood causes the deaths of 8 people. The flood occurred when a vat containing 610,000 litres (135,000 gallons) of beer ruptured, causing other vats in the building to also rupture, resulting in a total of 1,470,000 litres (323,000 gallons) to flood nearby streets, destroying two homes and the wall of a pub. Those killed were living in the basement of houses which filled with the beer. The brewery was sued, however, the court ruled the event an ‘Act of God’.
17 October 1901 – U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt issues an Executive Order changing name of the ‘Executive Mansion’ to the ‘White House’.
17 October 1938 – birth of U.S. daredevil, Evel Knievel (Robert Craig Knievel). Knievel was best known for his failed attempt to jump over the Grand Canyon on a rocket-propelled motor-bike. He also successfully, and often unsuccessfully, attempted long distance motor-bike jumps, such as jumping 14 buses. Through his career, Knievel broke 35 bones. Died 30 November 2007.
17 October 1989 – Mother Teresa awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
17 October 2010 – Mary McKillop is canonised by Pope Benedict XVI, becoming Australia’s first saint.
17 October 2011 – Richard Branson, of Virgin Group, opens the world’s first commercial space-port, which he has based in Mexico. The first commercial launch is expected in 2013.