To beautify something is to make it more beautiful, often by decorating, cleaning, or improving it. People beautify places, objects, and even their own appearance.
“Beautify” comes from “beauty” plus the verb-forming ending “-fy,” which comes from Latin “-ficare,” meaning to make or do. So it literally means “to make beauty.”
When you hear “beautify,” picture it as a mini machine that turns plain things into pretty ones: beauty + make. The same pattern shows up in words like “simplify” (make simple) and “clarify” (make clear).
‘Beautify’ has often been associated with expectations that women and girls should improve their appearance to meet social standards, especially in domestic, cosmetic, and fashion contexts. It has been used in marketing and advice literature to reinforce the idea that women are responsible for making spaces and themselves ‘beautiful’ for others.
Use ‘beautify’ for spaces, objects, and environments without implying that one gender is responsible for aesthetic labor. When referring to people, be cautious not to pressure them toward specific beauty norms.
["enhance","improve","decorate","refine","polish","restore"]
Recognize the often-unpaid aesthetic and care labor performed by women and marginalized genders in homes, workplaces, and communities.
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