Pulchritudinous

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˌpʌlkɹɪˈtjuːdɪnəs/

Definitions

1. Possessing great physical beauty or aesthetic appeal in a manner that is striking and impressive
2. Characterized by exceptional physical loveliness and visual attractiveness that commands admiration
3. Displaying remarkable beauty of form and appearance that is notably pleasing to the eye

Etymology: The adjective "pulchritudinous" is a Latin word built in two stages. Its base is "pulchritūdō", a noun meaning beauty, formed from "pulcher" (beautiful, handsome) and the suffix "-tūdō", which turns adjectives into nouns of quality. English then added its own "-ous" ending, which turns a noun into an adjective meaning full of or characterised by that thing. So the word is, in effect, "pulchritude" with "-ous" attached. The base noun "pulchritude" is the older and more widely recognised of the two, and it is the one that has been in English longer. The adjective is the more unusual form, and it is often used with a faintly comic or ornate tone, as if the speaker is deliberately choosing a grander word than "beautiful" requires. The Latin root "pulcher" is also the source of the English "pulchritude" family's distant cousins, but the adjective itself is a straightforward English construction on Latin foundations.

Synonyms: beautiful, gorgeous, lovely, attractive, stunning

Antonyms: ugly, unattractive, plain, unsightly, hideous