English edit

Etymology edit

From Middle English pulcritude, from Latin pulchritūdō, from pulcher (beautiful).

Pronunciation edit

  • enPR: pŭlʹkrĭ-tūdʹ
  • IPA(key): /pʌlkrə.t(j)uːd/
  • (UK) IPA(key): [ˈpʰʌɫkɹəˌtjuːd]
  • (file)
  • (US) IPA(key): [ˈpʰʌɫkɹəˌtuːd]

Noun edit

pulchritude (usually uncountable, plural pulchritudes)

  1. Physical beauty.
    • 1978, Charles D. Benson and William Barnaby Faherty, Moonport: A History of Apollo Launch Facilities and Operations, NASA Special Publication 4204, 1978, ch. 4 [1]
      One participant recalls arriving at his Cocoa Beach motel on a Saturday evening with the Miss Universe contest on TV. To his wife's amazement, his interest in feminine pulchritude gave way to fatigue, and he was asleep before the final selection.
    • 1979, The Jerk, 00:18:20:
      Do you know why a woman of such pulchritude is married to me? 'Cause I make a comfortable living.
    Synonym: comeliness

Derived terms edit

Translations edit