Etymology Map
Back to all words

Aesthetic

3 stages from Greek to English.

Today it means concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty

Where does the word "aesthetic" come from? It comes from Greek aisthētikos, passing through German before entering English (1790s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
aisthētikos
Greek · ancient
"perceptive"
relating to perception by the senses
2
Stage 2 of 3
Ästhetik
German · 1750s
"theory of beauty"
the philosopher Alexander Baumgarten used it for a science of taste and beauty
3
Stage 3 of 3
aesthetic
English · 1790s
"relating to beauty"
first a theory of sense perception; the 1880s 'Aesthetic Movement' of Oscar Wilde's circle made it fashionable
Drag to pan · scroll to zoom
Read the full story

Aesthetic’s story begins in Greek: aisthētikos meant “perceptive.” Relating to perception by the senses. By 1750s, the word had taken hold in German as Ästhetik. The philosopher Alexander Baumgarten used it for a science of taste and beauty. It reached English by 1790s as aesthetic. First a theory of sense perception; the 1880s 'Aesthetic Movement' of Oscar Wilde's circle made it fashionable. Today, aesthetic means concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty.