beautiful
/ˈbjuː.tɪ.fəl/ IELTSAcademic
adjective
Pleasant to look at or hear. It can describe a person, place, thing, or sound that gives strong pleasure.
- She has a beautiful smile.
- We watched a beautiful sunset.
- That was a beautiful piece of music.
Adinary Nuance
Beautiful is stronger and more emotional than pretty. Pretty often suggests light charm, while beautiful suggests deeper beauty and a stronger effect. Compared with attractive, beautiful is less about appeal in general and more about clear beauty. Compared with handsome, beautiful is not usually limited to people and can describe places, art, or sounds.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- đẹp
- Spanish
- hermoso
- Chinese
- 美丽的
- Japanese
- 美しい
- Korean
- 아름다운
Etymology
Beautiful came into English in the 14th century from the Old French word bel, meaning 'fair' or 'lovely'. It is related to beauty.
Common phrases
beautiful daybeautiful viewbeautiful smilebeautifully made
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is beautiful a formal word?
- It is common in both speech and writing. It feels natural in everyday English and in descriptions.
- What is the difference between beautiful and pretty?
- Pretty is softer and lighter. Beautiful usually shows stronger admiration or a deeper kind of beauty.
- Can I use beautiful for things, not only people?
- Yes. You can say a beautiful house, a beautiful song, or a beautiful idea.
- Is beautiful common in IELTS speaking?
- Yes. It is a useful everyday adjective for describing people, places, and experiences clearly.