different between attractive vs aesthetic

English

Etymology

From Middle French attractif, from Late Latin attractivus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??t?ækt?v/
• Rhymes: -ækt?v

Adjective

attractive (comparative more attractive, superlative most attractive)

1. Causing attraction; having the quality of attracting by inherent force.
2. Having the power of charming or alluring by agreeable qualities; enticing.

   That's a very attractive offer.

3. Pleasing or appealing to the senses, especially of the opposite sex.

   He is an attractive fellow with a trim figure.

Synonyms

• (causing attraction): magnetic
• (having the ability to charm): See Thesaurus:attractive
• (pleasing or appealing to the senses): See Thesaurus:beautiful

Antonyms

• (having the power of charming): repulsive, ugly
• (pleasing or appealing to the senses): repulsive, ugly
• unattractive

Hyponyms

Related terms

Translations

References

• attractive on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• attractive in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• attractive in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a.t?ak.tiv/

Adjective

attractive

1. feminine singular of attractif

Latin

Adjective

attract?ve

1. vocative masculine singular of attract?vus

English

Alternative forms

• æsthetic, esthetic

Etymology

From German Ästhetik or French esthétique, both from Ancient Greek ?????????? (aisth?tikós, “of sense perception”), from ?????????? (aisthánomai, “I feel”).

Pronunciation

• (Conservative RP) IPA^(key): /es.??e.t?k/, /i?s.??e.t?k/
• (Contemporary RP) IPA^(key): /?s.???.t?k/
• (UK) IPA^(key): /?s.??e.t?k/, /i?s.??e.t?k/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?s.???.t?k/
• Rhymes: -?t?k

Adjective

aesthetic (comparative more aesthetic, superlative most aesthetic)

1. Concerned with beauty, artistic impact, or appearance.
2. (nonstandard) Beautiful or appealing to one's sense of beauty and/or art.
   • 1881, W. S. Gilbert, Patience, Act I:

     If you're anxious for to shine in the high aesthetic line as a man of culture rare,
     You must get up all the germs of the transcendental terms, and plant them everywhere.

   Synonyms: aesthetical, esthetic, tasteful

   Antonyms: inaesthetic, unaesthetic

Translations

Noun

aesthetic (plural aesthetics)

1. The study of art or beauty.
2. That which appeals to the senses.
3. The artistic motifs defining a collection of things, especially works of art; more broadly, their vibe.

Translations

Derived terms

Further reading

• "aesthetic" in Raymond Williams, Keywords (revised), 1983, Fontana Press, page 31.

Anagrams

• cheatiest