pulchritudinous
Pleasing to behold
Pulchritudinous means physically beautiful.
The word is almost always used humorously or ironically—its ungainly Latin syllables clash with the beauty it describes: He gazed upon the pulchritudinous maiden.
Outside of vocabulary tests and deliberate wordplay, the simpler *beautiful* serves better.
Extremely pleasing aesthetically
- gorgeousStrikingly beautiful
- stunningExtremely impressive or beautiful
- exquisiteFlawlessly crafted, delicate
- ravishingStrikingly, entrancingly attractive
comely · beauteous · lovely · resplendent · magnificent · sublime · dazzling · radiant
Pretentiously elevated in speech
- sesquipedalianGiven to lengthy vocabulary
- ornateElaborately decorated
- floweryElaborately ornamental in style
- verboseMore words than necessary
pretentious · pompous · affected · highfalutin · overwrought · florid · elaborate · ostentatious
Phrase difficult to articulate quickly
- mouthfulQuantity you can chew
- SAT wordCollege readiness assessment
- show-offOne who flaunts
- ironicExpressing contrary meaning
comedic · absurd · ridiculous · overwrought · exaggerated · facetious · sardonic · self-aware
beautiful
Extremely pleasing aesthetically
- gorgeousStrikingly beautiful
- stunningExtremely impressive or beautiful
- exquisiteFlawlessly crafted, delicate
ravishing · comely · beauteous · lovely · resplendent · magnificent · sublime · dazzling · radiant · breathtaking
grandiloquent
Pretentiously elevated in speech
- sesquipedalianGiven to lengthy vocabulary
- ornateElaborately decorated
- floweryElaborately ornamental in style
verbose · pretentious · pompous · affected · highfalutin · overwrought · florid · elaborate · ostentatious · lofty
tongue-twister
Phrase difficult to articulate quickly
ironic · comedic · absurd · ridiculous · overwrought · exaggerated · facetious · sardonic · self-aware · playful
- fancy wordsgrandiloquent, magniloquent, sesquipedalian, tintinnabulation, tergiversation