beatific
adjective
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Beatific Has Latin Roots
Beatific—which derives from Latin beatificus, meaning "making happy"—has graced the English language as a word describing things that impart consummate bliss since the 17th century. In theology, the phrase "beatific vision" gained meaning as an allusion to the direct sight of God enjoyed by the blessed in heaven. Today, the word more frequently describes a blissful look or appearance. A closely related word is beatitude, which can refer to a state of utmost bliss or to any of the declarations made by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount.
Examples of beatific in a Sentence
Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 27 Nov. 2023
The beatific expression on his face was almost shocking.
—Chris Richards, Washington Post, 18 Nov. 2023
By the end, the witnesses who’ve undergone these experiences are proselytizing, with beatific smiles, for the eternal life of the soul.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 31 Oct. 2023
Aided by her granddaughter, a beatific older woman with white hair and a bright purple titanium cane struggles up the hill.
—Jeff Weiss, Spin, 21 Aug. 2023
As the invasion began, the sculptors were making statues of the Virgin Mary or angels with beatific expressions.
—Condé Nast, The New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2023
The movie’s most mercurial and multitasking figure, Carmen is also a woman of God, clad in beatific nuns’ robes and coiffed like Dreyer’s Joan of Arc, who means to exorcise the demon in their midst.
—Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2023
Almost as captivating as that viral photo of the star wrapped in a blanket, Fendi Baguette at her side, beatific smile on her face.
—Tish Weinstock, Vogue, 16 Aug. 2023
But if Tana has an ostensible mission, her deeper motivations are harder to glean, only suggested in the expressive shifts (sometimes sorrowful, sometimes beatific, often some balance of both at once) of the star’s warm, open face.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 27 July 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'beatific.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
borrowed from Latin beātificus "making happy," from beātus "happy, fortunate" (from past participle of beāre "to make happy, gladden, bless," perhaps, if going back to *dwe-jo-, akin to bonus "good," going back to *dwe-nos) + -ficus -fic — more at bounty
1640, in the meaning defined at sense 1
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Cite this Entry
“Beatific.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beatific. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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beatific
adjective
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