beautiful

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European*dewh₂-der.?
2. Proto-Italic*dwenos
3. Old Latinduenos
4. Old Latin*duenelos
5. Latinbellus
6. Vulgar Latin*bellitātem
7. Anglo-Normanbiauté
8. Middle Englishbeaute
9. Proto-Indo-European*pleh₁-
10. Proto-Indo-European*pl̥h₁nós
11. Proto-Germanic*fullaz
12. Middle Englishbewteful
13. English todaybeautiful

From Middle English bewteful, beautefull (“attractive to the eye, beautiful”), equivalent to beauty + -ful. In this sense, largely displaced Old English fæġer (whence fair).

First known use, by meaning

• from 1520s Possessing beauty, impressing the eye; attractive.
• from 1520s Used emphatically or ironically, after the noun it qualifies.
• from 1860s Affording pleasure to any of the senses, especially that of hearing; delightful.
• from 1580s Impressing with charm in an intellectual or moral way, through inherent suitability or elegance.