gorgeous means sumptuously dressed. It carries an Arena rating of 1672, earned across 5 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, gorgeous ranks #1,793 of 17,116 for Words That Escaped Their Books, #2,504 of 17,120 for Most Beautiful Words, #4,803 of 17,114 for Most Satisfying to Say, #6,557 of 17,123 for Most Malleable Words.
gorgeous is pronounced /ˈɡɔːd͡ʒəs/.
Why “gorgeous” is a great word
Splendidly or showily brilliant, magnificent, or beautiful. From Middle English gorgeouse, a borrowing from Middle French gorgias (“elegant, fashionable”), from Old French gourgias, gorgias (“gorgeous, gaudy, flaunting”), likely related to Old French gorge (“throat, bosom”) via the notion of a ruff or ornament for the neck, and the associated pride or flaunting. Unlike “pretty,” which suggests a delicate, conventional charm, or “handsome,” which implies a stately, dignified impressiveness, gorgeous is an opulent and vivid display meant to dazzle. It is the raw silk of a peacock’s fan, the molten spill of a sunset over gilded domes, or the impossible, jeweled depth of a stained-glass window catching noon light—a beauty so rich it borders on insolence, a brief argument against austerity.
Etymology
From Middle English gorgeouse, a borrowing from Middle French gorgias (“elegant, fashionable”), from Old French gourgias, gorgias (“gorgeous, gaudy, flaunting, gallant, fine”), of uncertain origin, but apparently connected with Old French gorgias (“a gorget, ruffle for the neck”), from Old French gorge (“bosom, throat”). See gorge. Semantic evolution probably akin to "swelling of the throat or bosom due to pride, bridling up" to "assume an air of importance, flaunting".
adj
- Sumptuously dressed.
- Very beautiful.e.g.“All the contest judges agreed that Brigitt was absolutely gorgeous.”
- Very enjoyable, pleasant, tasty, etc.e.g.“Hummus is absolutely gorgeous.”
Words closest in meaning
By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.