What does prettiness mean?
Prettiness is the quality of being pretty, especially the pleasing or attractive appearance of a person, place, object, or scene. It differs from beauty in that it can suggest a lighter, gentler, or more approachable kind of appeal: the prettiness of a cottage, the prettiness of a smile, or the prettiness of an old-fashioned garden. The word is common in everyday English and literary description, where it often emphasizes detail, charm, and visual appeal. In discussion of people, however, it can sound somewhat old-fashioned or overly concerned with appearance, so attractiveness may be preferred in more formal contexts. Prettiness is also useful because it names not merely the act of appearing pretty but the quality that makes something appealing. It is normally uncountable, used as a mass noun rather than with a plural form.
nounThe quality of being pretty; attractiveness or pleasing appearance.
- The quality of being attractive or pleasing in appearance.
"The soft light brought out the quiet prettiness of the garden."
"The prettiness of the old cottage was enhanced by the climbing roses around the windows."
"Her quiet prettiness made her easy to overlook until she began speaking."
Generally uncountable; a plural is not normally used.
"The critic praised the subtle prettiness of the design."
Prettiness turns 'pretty' from a description into a quality you can name, celebrate, or charm someone with.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does prettiness come from?
Prettiness is an English noun formed from pretty and the established suffix -ness, which converts an adjective into a noun naming a quality or state. The suffix is inherited from Old English -nes, a productive element found in many English words. Pretty itself has Middle English and Old English ancestry, although the precise history of its modern sense is complicated.
How prettiness is actually used
Prettiness is usually neutral to mildly approving and is less formal than beauty or attractiveness. It is generally uncountable, though writers may use it in phrases such as a certain prettiness or an appealing prettiness.