Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *dewh₂-der.?
Proto-Italic *dwenos
Old Latin duenos
Old Latin *duenelos
Latin bellus
Proto-Indo-European *-teh₂
Proto-Indo-European *-ts
Proto-Indo-European *-teh₂ts
Proto-Italic *-tāts
Latin -itātem
Vulgar Latin *bellitātem
Anglo-Norman biautébor.
Middle English beaute
English beauty
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.
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *dewh₂-der.?
Proto-Italic *dwenos
Old Latin duenos
Old Latin *duenelos
Latin bellus
Proto-Indo-European *-teh₂
Proto-Indo-European *-ts
Proto-Indo-European *-teh₂ts
Proto-Italic *-tāts
Latin -itātem
Vulgar Latin *bellitātem
Anglo-Norman biautébor.
Middle English beaute
English beauty
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.
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *dewh₂-der.?
Proto-Italic *dwenos
Old Latin duenos
Old Latin *duenelos
Latin bellus
Proto-Indo-European *-teh₂
Proto-Indo-European *-ts
Proto-Indo-European *-teh₂ts
Proto-Italic *-tāts
Latin -itātem
Vulgar Latin *bellitātem
Anglo-Norman biautébor.
Middle English beaute
English beauty
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.
Meanings
(uncountable) The quality of being (especially visually) attractive, pleasing, fine or good-looking; comeliness.
Much as one appreciates the beauty of these woodlands, it was good to learn that some discreet tree-felling may open up the view still further. 1958 July 14, R. K. Kirkland, “Into the Mountains on the Festiniog Railway”, in Railway Magazine, page 453:
"The aviators didn't get him," Denham replied slowly. "What?" "It was Beauty. As always Beauty killed the Beast." 1932, Delos W. Lovelace, King Kong, published 1965, page 152:
‘Say, hast thou seen enough!’ ‘I have looked on beauty, and I am blinded,’ I said hoarsely, lifting my hand to cover up my eyes. 1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887, →OCLC:
A thing of beauty is a joy for ever: / Its loveliness increases; it will never / Pass into nothingness; but still will keep / A bower quiet for us, and a sleep / Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing. 1818, John Keats, “Book I”, in Endymion: A Poetic Romance, London: […] T[homas] Miller, […] for Taylor and Hessey, […], →OCLC, page 3, lines 1–5:
Warwick's first glance had revealed the fact that the young woman was strikingly handsome, with a stately beauty seldom encountered. 1900, Charles W[addell] Chesnutt, chapter I, in The House Behind the Cedars, Boston, Mass.; New York, N.Y.: Houghton, Mifflin and Company […], →OCLC:
1988, "… beauty and recollection, like danger, glamour, greed, hunger- everything but disappointment and desire- were concepts belonging to other people.” -Second Son, Robert Ferro
“Beauty is truth, truth beauty,”—that is all / Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know. 1819 May, John Keats, “Ode on a Grecian Urn”, in Lamia, Isabella, the Eve of St. Agnes, and Other Poems, London: […] [Thomas Davison] for Taylor and Hessey, […], published 1820, →OCLC, page 116:
(countable, uncountable) Someone who is beautiful.
The website calls a vote for Alyona a vote against "beauties who do not look natural and who cannot be distinguished from each other" and rails against the "imposed standards" of 90-60-90 vital statistics, and "cigarettes with out nicotine and coffee without caffeine". 2004 April 13, Nick Paton Walsh, “Ample Alyona shakes up Russian pageant”, in The Guardian:
Brigitte Bardot was a renowned beauty.
(countable, in-plural, uncountable) Those aspects or elements that make someone or something beautiful.
Another Fairy, Argea, entertains (c. xxxiii.) a king, queen, knight and ladies, in a stately palace. At night they retire to magnificent chambers, and in the morning they find themselves lying in a mead, some under trees, others on the sides of a stream, with more of the beauties of the ladies displayed than they could have desired. 1850, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, London: H.G. Bohn, page 541:
There the roſy-finger'd Spring, by the liquid mirror of a cryſtalline pool, was attiring her fair daughters in ſeven-fold ornaments, while the love-whiſpering breezes ſtole kiſſes as they paſſed, and fanned their glowing beauties. 1769, Firishta, translated by Alexander Dow, Tales translated from the Persian of Inatulla of Delhi, volume I, Dublin: P. and W. Wilson et al., page iii:
(countable, uncountable) Something that is particularly good or pleasing.
What a goal! That was a real beauty!
(countable, uncountable) An excellent or egregious example of something.
He got into a fight and ended up with two black eyes – two real beauties!
(countable, uncountable, with the definite article) The excellence or genius of a scheme or decision.
The beauty of the deal is it costs nothing!
(countable, obsolete, particle, uncountable) A beauty quark (now called bottom quark).
When the beauty team departs the set, the AD will say, “Let’s go on a bell.” A bell sounds throughout the stage, and […] 2013, Bethany Rooney, Mary Lou Belli, Directors Tell the Story, page 184:
a hair and beauty salon
(countable, obsolete, uncountable) Prevailing style or taste; rage; fashion.
Menander in the comedy brings in a man turning his wife from his house, because she stained her hair yellow, which was then the beauty. 1653, “Twenty-five Sermons Preached at Golden Grove; Being for the Winter Half-year, […]: Sermon XVIII. [The Marriage Ring; or, The Mysteriousness and Duties of Marriage.] Part II.”, in Reginald Heber, editor, The Whole Works of the Right Rev. Jeremy Taylor, D.D. […], volume V, London: Ogle, Duncan, and Co. […]; and Richard Priestley, […], published 1822, →OCLC, page 277:
(archaic, countable, in-plural, uncountable) Beautiful passages or extracts of poetry.
Forms
Spelling
Features
Labels
Source
beauties
Number=Plur
lexicographic
Antonyms
repulsiveness (antonym(s) of “property, quality”) · ugliness (antonym(s) of “property, quality”) · homeliness (antonym(s) of “property, quality”)
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *dewh₂-der.?
Proto-Italic *dwenos
Old Latin duenos
Old Latin *duenelos
Latin bellus
Proto-Indo-European *-teh₂
Proto-Indo-European *-ts
Proto-Indo-European *-teh₂ts
Proto-Italic *-tāts
Latin -itātem
Vulgar Latin *bellitātem
Anglo-Norman biautébor.
Middle English beaute
English beauty
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.