pulchritudinous
/ˌpʌlkɹɪˈtjuːdɪnəs/
pulchritudinous means having great physical beauty. It carries an Arena rating of 1339, earned across 5 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, pulchritudinous ranks #1,177 of 17,114 for Most Satisfying to Say, #2,223 of 17,122 for Most Betrayed by Its Sound, #2,583 of 17,118 for Most Ponderous Words, #4,166 of 17,150 for Funniest Words.
pulchritudinous is pronounced /ˌpʌlkɹɪˈtjuːdɪnəs/.
Why “pulchritudinous” is a great word
Possessing or characterized by magnificent physical beauty. From Latin pulchritūdin-, the oblique stem of pulchritūdō ("beauty"), from pulcher ("beautiful") + the noun-forming suffix -tūdō, combined with the English adjectival suffix -ous. Unlike "comely," which suggests a wholesome or rustic pleasantness, or "handsome," which implies a dignified and often admirable beauty, pulchritudinous denotes a formal, classical, and striking splendor. It is the marble sweep of a Bernini drapery, the severe symmetry of a Doric temple at noon, and the terrible stillness of a face that demands to be painted—a beauty so complete it borders on the architectural, as if the body itself had been built to outlast the flesh that wears it.
Etymology
From Latin pulchritūdin- + -ous, from oblique stem of Latin pulchritūdō, from pulcher + -tūdō. By surface analysis, pulchritude + -ous.
adj
- Having great physical beauty.e.g.“But Shedemei had long since grown out of her adolescent jealousy of pulchritudinous girls.”
- That endows pulchritude; beautifying.
Words closest in meaning
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