Aesthete

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈiːs.θiːt/

Definitions

1. A person who cultivates a deep appreciation for beauty and art, often pursuing refinement of taste and sensory experience as a primary life value
2. a person devoted to the pursuit and appreciation of beauty, artistic excellence, and refined sensory experiences as central to their existence
3. someone who prioritizes the cultivation of exquisite taste in art and beauty and lives according to aesthetic principles and values

Etymology: The English word comes from Ancient Greek "aisthētēs," which meant simply "one who perceives," built from "aisthanesthai," to perceive through the senses. Nothing in the original word hints at art galleries or fine wine. It described anyone taking in the world through sight, sound, touch and the other senses, so the modern sense of a connoisseur of beauty is a narrowing of that broad perceptual meaning. The path from that Greek root to the English noun is a matter of borrowing through the classical languages, and the word is a late arrival in English compared with older Greek loans. The sense of refined sensory pleasure that it now carries developed in English, where the word came to name a person devoted to beauty as a way of life rather than just someone who notices things.

Synonyms: art lover, sensitive person

Antonyms: philistine