beauty
/ˈbjuːti/
noun
Origin
Latin
bellus — beautiful, pretty, handsome
Overview
Meaning Now
- A combination of qualities, such as shape, color, or form, that pleases the aesthetic senses, especially the sight.
- A person or thing that is physically attractive or exceptionally good of its kind.
Language path
Latin → Old French → Middle English → English
Earliest form
beauté
Earliest period
13th century
Journey
The term enters English as a direct result of the Norman Conquest, displacing the Old English word 'wlite' (appearance/beauty) and 'fæger' (fairness). It reflects the shift in aesthetic terminology brought by French cultural dominance in the medieval period.
Evolution
- Latin
bellitas
“the quality of being beautiful”
Derived from 'bellus'.
- Old French
beauté
“beauty, physical attractiveness”
Development through Vulgar Latin *bellitatem.
- Middle English
beute
“beauty”
Loanword adopted from Anglo-Norman.
- English
beauty
“the state or quality of being beautiful”
Standardized spelling by the 16th century.
Connections
Word parts
beaut-
root
beautiful
-y
suffix
suffix forming nouns from adjectives or stems
Related across languages
French
beauté
beauty
Italian
beltà
beauty
Related words
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Related to beauty
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.