gorgeous

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".

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈɡɔːdʒəs/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈɡɔɹd͡ʒəs/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)dʒəs

gorgeous (comparative more gorgeous, superlative most gorgeous)

1. (of a person) Sumptuously dressed.
   • 1883, Mark Twain, “Chapter VII: A daring deed”, in Life on the Mississippi, 1883 illustrated edition, Boston MA: James R Osgood & Co, →OCLC, pages 92-93; digitised as part of the UNC-CH digitization project Documenting the American South, 1st edition, Chapel Hill NC: University of North Carolina, 1999, →OCLC:

     Two or three of them wore polished silk hats, elaborate shirt-fronts, diamond breastpins, kid gloves, and patent-leather boots...The others were more or less loosely clad...One of the gorgeous ones remarked...

2. (of a person or place) Very beautiful.

   All the contest judges agreed that Brigitt was absolutely gorgeous.

   The sunsets in Hawaii are gorgeous.

   • 2006, Noire [pseudonym], Thug-A-Licious: An Urban Erotic Tale, New York, N.Y.: One World, Ballantine Books, →ISBN, page 21:

     Carmiesha "Lil' Muddah" Vernoy had been with me since back in the day. She was more than a dime piece. She was drop-dead gorgeous and had the best pussy in the world.

3. (rare) Very enjoyable, pleasant, tasty, etc.

   Hummus is absolutely gorgeous.

• See also Thesaurus:beautiful

• gorgeously
• gorgeousness

• gorge