gorgeous
adjective
Did you know?
In the late Middle Ages many women wore a type of headdress—called a wimple in English—that surrounded the neck and head, leaving only the face uncovered. The word gorgias, from gorge, meaning “throat,” was the French name for the part of the headdress that covered the throat and shoulders. In time it also came to be used as a name for the entire garment. A beautiful headdress was so much the mark of a fashionable lady that Gorgias then became an adjective meaning “elegant” or “fond of dress.” Borrowed into English as gorgayse and then gorgeous, the word gradually took on the meaning of “beautiful” that it has today.
Synonyms
- aesthetic
- esthetic
- aesthetical
- esthetical
- attractive
- beauteous
- beautiful
- bonny [chiefly British]
- bonnie
- comely
- cute
- drop-dead
- fair
- fetching
- good
- good-looking
- goodly
- handsome
- knockout
- likely
- lovely
- lovesome
- pretty
- ravishing
- seemly
- sightly
- stunning
- taking
- well-favored
Example Sentences
Corby Kummer, Atlantic, May 2001 In the Arlberg … my wife and I were taken to the most perfect dinner by an elderly Viennese couple and their gorgeous young daughter, whom we had met in Washington. Geoffrey Wolff, Granta, Autumn 1990 Banks of gorgeous flowers were on every hand, and birds with rare and brilliant plumage sang and fluttered in the trees and bushes. L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, 1900 Your baby is absolutely gorgeous! sunsets in Hawaii are just gorgeous Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 15 Aug. 2022 Here's a look at some of the most gorgeous amaryllis plants with blooms in eye-catching hues, patterns, and shapes. Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Aug. 2022 The trail to Wapama Falls is a moderately strenuous five-mile ramble to one of the park’s tallest, most gorgeous waterfalls. Sunset Magazine, 9 Aug. 2022 Here are a few of the province’s most gorgeous landscapes, lodges, and wildlife-viewing opportunities to help kickstart your daydreams. Outside Online, 25 July 2022 Pair it with your chic swimsuits, flowy cover-ups, and linen beach pants for an effortlessly gorgeous compliment to any summer 'fit. Nicol Natale, PEOPLE.com, 19 July 2022 This one might be the most gorgeous—it’s the largest and brightest nebulae, a cloud of gas and dust where stars are formed, that astronomers have found. Tim Fernholz, Quartz, 12 July 2022 Megan's summer glam moment is effortlessly gorgeous, with that mermaid-worthy hair pairing perfectly with her metallic mani and hoop earrings. Kara Nesvig, Allure, 6 July 2022 Set in various Italian locales, the TV adaptation of Elena Ferrante’s novel tetralogy about two lifelong friends is easily the most gorgeous series on the list and arguably all of television. Inkoo Kang, Washington Post, 1 July 2022 See More Word History
Middle English gorgeouse, from Middle French gorgias elegant, perhaps from gorgias wimple, from gorge throat
15th century, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
gorgeous
adjective
gorgeous
adjective
Synonyms & Similar Words
- beautiful
- lovely
- cute
- handsome
- pretty
- attractive
- stunning
- charming
- good
- delightful
- elegant
- ravishing
- beauteous
- glorious
- sexy
- magnificent
- perfect
- likely
- fascinating
- flawless
- superb
- aesthetic
- comely
- exquisite
- knockout
- goodly
- taking
- hot
- fetching
- fair
- good-looking
- drop-dead
- bonny
- seemly
- sightly
- lovesome
- splendid
- pleasant
- desirable
- alluring
- glamorous
- appealing
- well-favored
- delicate
- resplendent
- sublime
- bonnie
- radiant
- statuesque
- engaging
- luscious
- seductive
- cunning
- esthetic
- aesthetical
- esthetical
- dainty
- prepossessing
- glamourous
- striking
- personable
- glossy
- foxy
- presentable
- snazzy
- photogenic
- showy
- hunky
- nubile
- flamboyant
- toothsome
- arresting
- prettyish
- flashy
- slick
- Junoesque
- pulchritudinous
- dishy
- splashy
- studly
- dollish
- eye-catching
- chocolate-box
- telegenic
- zingy
- showstopping
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- ugly
- hideous
- unattractive
- unbeautiful
- grotesque
- plain
- unlovely
- terrible
- homely
- unhandsome
- horrible
- disgusting
- bad
- dreadful
- ghastly
- frightful
- unsightly
- loathsome
- uncute
- shocking
- abominable
- revolting
- abhorrent
- vile
- repulsive
- nasty
- sickening
- repugnant
- disagreeable
- unpretty
- unaesthetic
- offensive
- unpleasing
- uncomely
- objectionable
- unpleasant
- repellent
- nauseating
- unappealing
- foul
- ill-favored
- unprepossessing
- unappetizing
- repellant
- frumpy
- unimposing
- unshapely
- frumpish
- unbecoming
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of gorgeous are glorious, resplendent, splendid, sublime, and superb. While all these words mean "extraordinarily or transcendently impressive," gorgeous implies a rich splendor especially in display of color.
While in some cases nearly identical to gorgeous, glorious suggests radiance that heightens beauty or distinction.
The words resplendent and gorgeous are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, resplendent suggests a glowing or blazing splendor.
While the synonyms splendid and gorgeous are close in meaning, splendid implies outshining the usual or customary.
The synonyms sublime and gorgeous are sometimes interchangeable, but sublime implies an exaltation or elevation almost beyond human comprehension.
Although the words superb and gorgeous have much in common, superb suggests an excellence reaching the highest conceivable degree.