How to pronounce aesthetic

Aesthetic is often incorrectly pronounced aestetic, as if there were no h in the word. The correct pronunciation is with a th sound, as in thick, at the beginning of the second syllable.

The word comes to English via French, and many American English speakers have retained the French pronunciation. The word retains a “th” spelling form Latin, which got it from a Greek theta, pronounced as in English “thick”. The French continue to spell it that way, even though French lacks the dental fricative sounds.

noun. English Language Learners Definition of aesthetic (Entry 2 of 2) : a set of ideas or opinions about beauty or art. : the study of beauty especially in art and literature. : the artistic or beautiful qualities of something.