beauty
/ˈbjuːti
/noun (plural beauties)
1 [mass noun] A combination of qualities, such as shape, colour, or form, that pleases the aesthetic senses, especially the sight: I was struck by her beauty an area of outstanding natural beauty...
- A great number of oaks aged over 500 years provide an abundance of aesthetic beauty, wonderful shapes and amazing structures.
- The study of literature and art shape our sense of beauty.
- My initial reaction to this was a sense that here aesthetic beauty came perilously close to swamping the work, as if it were too rich for its own good.
1.1A combination of qualities that pleases the intellect: the artistry and beauty of football...
- Along with The Extended Phenotype made me understnad the intellectual beauty of Darwinism; and gave me the subject for my first half-decent book.
- But during my learnings, I discovered that I appreciated the artistic beauty of military firearms.
- There are some genuine moments of intellectual beauty in the series - if you watch out for the character Elfayed, you'll see what I mean.
Synonyms
attractiveness, prettiness, good looks, pleasingness, comeliness, allure, allurement;
loveliness, charm, appeal, heavenliness, voluptuousness;
winsomeness, grace, elegance, exquisiteness;
splendour, magnificence, grandeur, impressiveness, picturesqueness, artistry, decorativeness;
gorgeousness, glamour, irresistibility;
Scottish & Northern English bonniness
formal beauteousness, pulchritude
1.2 [as modifier] Denoting something intended to make someone more attractive: beauty treatment...
- There were also stalls offering beauty treatments and products, allergy testing, information about cosmetic dentistry and advice on how to lose weight and give up smoking.
- Start by using essential oils and scents like jasmine or ginger in your baths, massage treatments and beauty products.
- New spa treatments and beauty products - from shampoos to shower gels smell just like the real thing.
2A beautiful woman: she was considered a great beauty in her youth he arrived with a blonde beauty on his arm...
- Across the aisle, six blonde beauties also celebrating a birthday laughed too loud and drank champagne.
- You either decide to remain a brunette beauty, or go blonde.
- There she was, my best friend's sister, not a classic beauty, but a beauty none the less.
Synonyms
beautiful woman, belle, vision, charmer, enchantress, Venus, goddess, beauty queen, English rose, picture, seductress;
French femme fatale
informal looker, good looker, lovely, stunner, knockout, bombshell, dish, cracker, smasher, peach, eyeful, bit of all right
2.1An excellent example of something: the fish was a beauty, around 14 pounds...
- In fact, it is a beauty fished off the beach or rocks.
- The level of quality here is therefore really high, many of the items are brand name and all are beauties, in excellent condition, and timely as per current retro.
- As an architectural beauty it is one of the worst examples of its era.
2.2 (the beauties of) The pleasing or attractive features of (something): the beauties of the English countryside...
- One of the beauties of English is that it has available a practice which seems to conflate movement and stillness, unfolding and accomplishment.
- I also lament people who ignore the beauties of the English countryside - excepting the itinerant rambler and the American tourist.
- Jane truly loved the beauties of the natural world-the birds she photographed, the fish that swam in her pond, the trees that grew in her garden.
2.3 [in singular] The best aspect or advantage of something: the beauty of keeping cats is that they don’t tie you down...
- Regardless of the somewhat touristy aspect, the beauty of learning in a class environment is that it removes the male-determined version of sexy.
- The frame is usually fully expressed on the interior of the building to take advantage of the beauty of the timber frame joinery.
- Take the whole family on a walk around the neighborhood or to a trail for a hike and take advantage of the beauty of nature.
Synonyms
advantage, attraction, strength, benefit, asset, draw, lure, pull, strong point, boon, blessing, virtue, merit, selling point, good thing/point, bonus, plus, added extra
adjective Australian /NZ informal
Good; excellent (used as a general term of approval).That's beauty mate, and a nice fish too!
Phrases
beauty and the beast
beauty is in the eye of the beholder
beauty is only skin-deep
Origin
Middle English: from Old French beaute, based on Latin bellus 'beautiful, fine'.
The Latin word bellus, ‘beautiful’, is the root of beauty, and also of a beau (late 17th century), and belle (early 17th century). The idea that beauty is in the eye of the beholder is very old indeed, appearing in the works of the ancient Greek poet Theocritus (fl.3rd century bc). In English the proverb as we know it today is recorded from the 18th century. The warning that beauty is only skin-deep is known from the early 17th century. The beautiful game is soccer. The phrase is from the title of the 1973 autobiography by the Brazilian star Pelé, My Life and the Beautiful Game.