beautiful

Etymology

From Middle English bewteful, beautefull (“attractive to the eye, beautiful”), equivalent to beauty + -ful. In this sense, largely displaced Old English fæġer (whence fair).

adj

1. Attractive and possessing beauty.
   Anyone who has ever met her thought she was absolutely beautiful.
   There's a beautiful lake by the town.
   It's rather like a beautiful Inverness cloak one has inherited. Much too good to hide away, so one wears it instead of an overcoat and pretends it's an amusing new fashion. 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 5, in The China Governess
   It is a beautiful kitchen! — It is beautiful. Audio (US) (file) 2016, VOA Learning English (public domain)
2. Good, admirable.
   He was a beautiful person; he would drop everything to help you.
   You've done a beautiful thing today.
3. (of the weather) Pleasant; clear.
   It's beautiful outside, let's go for a walk.
4. Well executed.
   The skater performed a beautiful axel.

noun

1. Someone who is beautiful. Can be used as a term of address.
   The man was faithful to his wife, ignoring the many blonde beautifuls who surrounded him wherever he went.
   Hey, beautiful!