gorgeous

adjective

gor·​geous ˈgȯr-jəs How to pronounce gorgeous (audio)
: splendidly or showily brilliant or magnificent
gorgeously adverb
gorgeousness noun

Did you know?

In the late Middle Ages many women wore a type of headdress—called a wimple in English—that surrounded the neck and head, leaving only the face uncovered. The word gorgias, from gorge, meaning “throat,” was the French name for the part of the headdress that covered the throat and shoulders. In time it also came to be used as a name for the entire garment. A beautiful headdress was so much the mark of a fashionable lady that Gorgias then became an adjective meaning “elegant” or “fond of dress.” Borrowed into English as gorgayse and then gorgeous, the word gradually took on the meaning of “beautiful” that it has today.

Choose the Right Synonym for gorgeous

splendid, resplendent, gorgeous, glorious, sublime, superb mean extraordinarily or transcendently impressive.

splendid implies outshining the usual or customary.

the wedding was a splendid occasion

resplendent suggests a glowing or blazing splendor.

resplendent in her jewelry

gorgeous implies a rich splendor especially in display of color.

a gorgeous red dress

glorious suggests radiance that heightens beauty or distinction.

a glorious sunset

sublime implies an exaltation or elevation almost beyond human comprehension.

a vision of sublime beauty

superb suggests an excellence reaching the highest conceivable degree.

her singing was superb

Examples of gorgeous in a Sentence

The difference in appearance can be dramatic, as I saw on a visit to the small, modern factory where Pineider prints its stationery, in a gorgeous part of Tuscany near Florence and bordering Chianti. Corby Kummer, Atlantic, May 2001
In the Arlberg … my wife and I were taken to the most perfect dinner by an elderly Viennese couple and their gorgeous young daughter, whom we had met in Washington. Geoffrey Wolff, Granta, Autumn 1990
Banks of gorgeous flowers were on every hand, and birds with rare and brilliant plumage sang and fluttered in the trees and bushes. L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, 1900
Your baby is absolutely gorgeous! sunsets in Hawaii are just gorgeous
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The new colors are great (ultramarine is gorgeous) and access to Apple Intelligence is a vote-winner on its own. David Phelan, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024 And Maria McManus has been strong: It’s priced beautifully, the product is absolutely gorgeous, and the messaging is incredible. Mark Holgate, Vogue, 18 Dec. 2024 Located along the Sea of Cortez, this small port has one of the most gorgeous marine ecosystems in Mexico, known for its whale-watching tours and kayaking expeditions through the Loreto Bay National Marine Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Meagan Drillinger, AFAR Media, 17 Dec. 2024 Yet for most of these 18 episodes, Arcane itself manages to bring together a wide array of ideas and stylistic influences in ways that are utterly gorgeous, on both aesthetic and emotional levels. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 17 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for gorgeous 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English gorgeouse, from Middle French gorgias elegant, perhaps from gorgias wimple, from gorge throat

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gorgeous was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near gorgeous

Cite this Entry

“Gorgeous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gorgeous. Accessed 24 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

gorgeous

adjective
gor·​geous ˈgȯr-jəs How to pronounce gorgeous (audio)
: having an impressive beauty
a gorgeous sunset
gorgeously adverb
gorgeousness noun
Etymology

Middle English gorgeouse "very showy, splendid," from early French gorgias "elegant," from gorgias "headdress, wimple," from gorge "part of the wimple covering the throat, throat"

Word Origin
In the late Middle Ages many women wore a type of headdress—called a wimple in English—that surrounded the neck and head, leaving only the face uncovered. The word gorgias, from gorge, meaning "throat," was then the French name for the part of the headdress that covered the throat and shoulders. In time it also came to be used as a name for the entire garment. Perhaps because a beautiful headdress was the mark of a fashionable lady, gorgias seems to have become an adjective meaning "elegant" or "fond of dress." Borrowed into English as gorgayse and then gorgeous, the word gradually took on the meaning of "beautiful" which it has today.

More from Merriam-Webster on gorgeous

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!