“Aphrodite Kallipygos (of the beautiful buttock) lifting her robe and gazing down at her buttocks.”* I Do That, Too. Sadly, No Statue, Yet

Here are the 100 most beautiful words in English. How do we know we have the most beautiful? They were chosen by Dr. Goodword (Robert Beard), who has been making dictionaries, creating word lists, and writing poetry for 40 years. For five years he wrote the Word of the Day at yourDictionary.com and since 2004 he has been writing the series, So, What's the Good Word? here at alphaDictionary. Below is a select list of his favorite poetical words that he used in his poetry—or wishes he had.

These words were collected over the years with the help of visitors to this website like you, subscribers to our daily “Good Word,” and the word colloquium at the alphaDictionary Alpha Agora. They have been carefully researched and written up in small essays designed to increase the beauty of our conversations. Beyond that, these essays reveal how the words used by English-speakers provide insights into who we are and where we come from.


“Fluke” is not a beautiful word. Now, “Callipygean,” that's a beautiful word, particularly when the alternative spelling is used.

* Picture and caption from here.