n., pl., -ties.
- The quality that gives pleasure to the mind or senses and is associated with such properties as harmony of form or color, excellence of artistry, truthfulness, and originality.
- One that is beautiful, especially a beautiful woman.
- A quality or feature that is most effective, gratifying, or telling: The beauty of the venture is that we stand to lose nothing.
- An outstanding or conspicuous example: "Hammett's gun went off. The shot was a beauty, just slightly behind the eyes" (Lillian Hellman).
[Middle English beaute, from Old French biaute, from Vulgar Latin *bellitās, from Latin bellus, pretty.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
