Aesthetically

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. In a manner relating to the appreciation or principles of beauty and artistic value
2. In a manner that relates to the philosophy of beauty, artistic sensibilities, and visual harmony
3. Done with regard to the perception and enjoyment of beauty or art

Etymology: Aesthetically is a compound of two inherited layers. The base, "aesthetic," comes from the Ancient Greek "aisthētikos," from "aisthanesthai," meaning "to perceive" through the senses, so the original sense was closer to sensory perception than to beauty. Greek "aisthēsis" meant perception, and the word passed through Latin "aesthēticus" and French "esthétique" before reaching English as "aesthetic." Its meaning narrowed over time. Once it referred to anything connected with the senses, the term came to be applied specifically to beauty and taste in art, which is the sense the adverb carries today. The formation is a modern one: the scholarly "aesthetic" was coined in New Latin from the Greek, and English later added the adjective-forming suffix "-ally" to make the adverb. The suffix itself has a plain history. "-ally" descends from Latin "-ālis," which English took through Old French and Middle English as "-al." The "-ly" ending comes from Old English "-līċe," which gave the sense "in the manner of," so "aesthetically" literally means "in an aesthetic manner."

Synonyms: artistically, visually, beautifully, tastefully, appealingly

Antonyms: ugly, unappealing, tastelessly