beauty

beauty (n.) early 14c., "physical attractiveness," also "goodness, courtesy," from Anglo-Fr. beute, O.Fr. biauté "beauty, seductiveness, beautiful person" (12c., Mod.Fr. beauté), earlier beltet, from V.L. bellitatem (nom. bellitas) "state of being handsome," from L. bellus "pretty, handsome, charming," in classical Latin used especially of women and children, or ironically or insultingly of men, perhaps from PIE *dw-en-elo-, dim. of root *deu- "to do, perform, show favor, revere" (see BENE- (Cf. bene-)). Famously defined by Stendhal as la promesse de bonheur "the promise of happiness." Replaced O.E. wlite. Concrete meaning "a beautiful woman" is first recorded late 14c. Beauty sleep "sleep before midnight" is attested by 1850. Beauty spot is from 1650s. Beauty parlor is from 1894.

The sudden death of a young woman a little over a week ago in a down-town "beauty parlor" has served to direct public attention to those institutions and their methods. In this case, it seems, the operator painted on or injected into the patron's facial blemish a 4-per-cent cocaine solution and then applied an electrode, the sponge of which was saturated with carbolized water. ["The Western Druggist," October 1894]

Beauté du diable (lit. "devil's beauty") is used as a French phrase in English from 1825.