beauty

Pronunciation: /ˈbjuti/

Reading level: medium

Estimated CEFR level: A2 — Elementary

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun the qualities that give pleasure to the senses
  2. noun a very attractive or seductive looking woman
  3. noun an outstanding example of its kind

Etymology

From Middle English bewty, bewte, beaute, bealte, from Anglo-Norman and Old French beauté (early Old French spelling biauté), from Vulgar Latin *bellitātem (“beauty”), from Latin bellus (“beautiful, fair”); see beau. In this sense, mostly displaced native Old English fæġernes, whence Modern English fairness.

In classic literature

Semantic network

Broader (hypernyms)
appearance
Narrower (hyponyms)
handsomeness, exquisiteness, glory, pulchritude, pleasingness, comeliness
Opposite (antonyms)
ugliness

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