Definitions
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective literary Having great physical
beauty .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective used of persons only; having great physical beauty
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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I try to make sure my children know the meanings of several words when my youngest was about 2 or 3 she went through a stage using the word pulchritudinous she used it correctly but I had to look it up to find out exactly what it meant I think it is definitely up to us to teach our children the proper use of words.
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The Duchess of Cambridge looks like a fairy-tale princess because she is slim and pulchritudinous, but ostensibly it's the long, blow-dried locks that ice the cake; ditto her potential lady in waiting, sister Pippa.
The Taming of 'The Do' Tina Gaudoin 2011
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(We also distinctly remembered Reality Bites as set in Seattle and prominently featuring the pulchritudinous Badmotorfinger - era Chris Cornell, until we realized we were confusing it with Singles, which makes us feel as though dementia may be setting in early, but that is neither here nor there).
Archive 2009-10-01 2009
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(We also distinctly remembered Reality Bites as set in Seattle and prominently featuring the pulchritudinous Badmotorfinger - era Chris Cornell, until we realized we were confusing it with Singles, which makes us feel as though dementia may be setting in early, but that is neither here nor there).
We Pontificate, As Is Our Wont, on the Perils of Sentimentality 2009
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That being said, I thought it was done in a beautifully horrific manner, with some shots that are hauntingly pulchritudinous.
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In its fascination with girl-on-girl action, from longing glances and kissing to a climactic catfight that's less lurid than ludicrous, "Roommate" plays like the ultimate indulgence of leering Hollywood executives, eager to ogle pulchritudinous college girls and call it work.
'Roommate' movie review: Don't move in with Leighton Meester Ann Hornaday 2011
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Visual references are stitched through the language - old women were called 'gauna,' literally 'hot milk-skin'; you spoke not of being good but of appearing good; the most precious possession in the city were the well-born, pulchritudinous young men, the kalos k'athagos - the 'noble in mind and appearance.'
"The Hemlock Cup," a history of Socrates Post 2011
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So in summary, according to Mitt Romney: presidents can't create jobs, so vote for Mitt Romney for president to create jobs.6.41pm: Breaking news – sort of – an ABC News affiliate has got hold of the video lampooning Mitt Romney made by the pulchritudinous daughters of Jon Huntsman, one which was blocked by the Huntsman campaign.
South Carolina primary: Mitt Romney's rivals ask taxing questions 2012
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Visual references are stitched through the language - old women were called 'gauna,' literally 'hot milk-skin'; you spoke not of being good but of appearing good; the most precious possession in the city were the well-born, pulchritudinous young men, the kalos k'athagos - the 'noble in mind and appearance.'
"The Hemlock Cup," a history of Socrates Post 2011
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What would be wrong in having pulchritudinous young lovelies – cheerleaders doing splits and routines for all the waiting prospectives?
wordup commented on the word pulchritudinous
Interesting. I didn't know the word is supposed to be confined to people only as Burger King or some other chain used it to describe their hamburgers in a commercial.
November 12, 2007
chained_bear commented on the word pulchritudinous
I said this just today, when a bunch of college students jogged by us wearing next to nothing. :)
November 12, 2007
yarb commented on the word pulchritudinous
I can't stand this word - it sounds grotesque; it makes me think of pustules and puke! And those lurching trochees!
March 13, 2008
reesetee commented on the word pulchritudinous
Yarb, don't hold back--tell us how you really feel.
March 14, 2008
shevek commented on the word pulchritudinous
What an atrocious retronym!
Beauty -> Beautiful -> Beautifulness
Beautifulness = Pulchritude
So Pulchritudinous = having the attribute of beautifulness
June 10, 2008
chained_bear commented on the word pulchritudinous
I love this word. I will love it no matter how many other people hate it. *shouts defiance to the skies* Pulchritudinous!!
June 10, 2008
sionnach commented on the word pulchritudinous
I'm with c_b on this. I'm not an avid fan of this word, but it certainly has as much right to exist as any other adjective, and more than some, Shevek's somewhat specious-looking little diagram notwithstanding.
June 11, 2008
yarb commented on the word pulchritudinous
I couldn't deny any word the right to exist, assuming words have rights, but this is still a sickly, cloying titan arum of an adjective.
I've got no problem with its retronymity or otherwise, however. It's not a badly-constructed word; Shevek's diagram should read as follows:
Beauty -> Beautiful
Beauty = Pulchritude
So Pulchritudinous = having the attribute of beauty
'Beautifulness' is a red herring.
June 11, 2008
reesetee commented on the word pulchritudinous
I'm with c_b, but I don't think that hard about the word. I just like the way it sounds. :-)
June 11, 2008
chained_bear commented on the word pulchritudinous
Titan arum, yarb? Wow! That's just tits!
June 11, 2008
seanahan commented on the word pulchritudinous
We have to have something to rhyme with multitudinous.
June 12, 2008
Telofy commented on the word pulchritudinous
Correct me if I'm at fault, but to me "pulchritudinous" sounds quite superficial in comparison to "beautiful"...
September 22, 2008
madmouth commented on the word pulchritudinous
the word that sounds the least like its meaning. one could be forgiven for taking 'you're so pulchritudinous' as an insult
April 13, 2009
nuxiy commented on the word pulchritudinous
"If you've ever wanted to know just how much better your life would be if you were pulchritudinous, rich, and a creative genius - it's your lucky day."
- T-Shirt Hell Membership mail
May 17, 2009
dewiclark29 commented on the word pulchritudinous
I love this word.... physically beautiful; comely. Per dictionary.com/
August 27, 2009
itz_chucknorris commented on the word pulchritudinous
its funny that this word means that ur physically beautiful...... it sounds like something disgusting!!!!!!!!
October 29, 2010
biocon commented on the word pulchritudinous
In addition, pulchritudinous means "that endows pulchritude; beautifying" (Oxford English Dictionary).
September 3, 2011