beautiful

== English == === Etymology === From Middle English bewteful, beautefull (“attractive to the eye, beautiful”), equivalent to beauty +‎ -ful. In this sense, largely displaced Old English fæġer (whence fair). === Pronunciation === (UK) enPR: byo͞oʹtĭ-fəl, IPA(key): /ˈbjuːtɪ.fəl/, /ˈbjuːtɪ.fʊl/ (US) IPA(key): /ˈbju.tɪ.fəl/, [bju.ɾə.fəl] Hyphenation: beau‧ti‧ful === Adjective === beautiful (comparative more beautiful, superlative most beautiful) Possessing beauty, impressing the eye; attractive. [from 1520s] Used emphatically or ironically, after the noun it qualifies. [from 1850s] That one likes very much. Affording pleasure to any of the senses, especially that of hearing; delightful. [from 1860s] Impressing with charm in an intellectual or moral way, through inherent suitability or elegance. [from 1580s] ==== Usage notes ==== When used to refer to human appearance, the word is more commonly used for women, with handsome being more common for men, though neither is incorrect. For a man, beautiful could connote a more delicate or androgynous appearance. The comparatives beautifuler and beautifuller, and the superlatives beautifulest and beautifullest have also occasionally been used, but are nonstandard. ==== Synonyms ==== (possessing charm and attractive): beauteous, attractive, cute, fair, good-looking, gorgeous, sheen, handsome, hot (slang), lovely, nice-looking, pretty, shapely, fit (slang) (of the weather): clear, fine, nice, pleasant, sunny (well executed): excellent, exceptional, good, great, marvellous/marvelous, perfect, stylish, wonderful (ironic: how unfortunate): great, marvellous/marvelous, nice, very nice, wonderful (any of these can be prefixed with an intensifier such as bloody, damned or just) See also Thesaurus:beautiful ==== Antonyms ==== (antonym(s) of “possessing charm and attractive”): grotesque, hideous, homely, plain, misshapen, repulsive, ugly; unbeautiful (antonym(s) of “of the weather”): bad, cloudy, dull, miserable, overcast, rainy, wet (antonym(s) of “well executed”): average, bad, mediocre, poor, shoddy, substandard, terrible, weak ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== beauty See also Thesaurus:beautiful woman ==== Translations ==== ==== References ==== “beautiful, adj., n., & adv.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000. === Noun === beautiful (plural beautifuls) Someone who is beautiful. Can be used as a term of address.