vĕnustus, a, um, adj. [1. Venus], lovely, comely, charming, pleasing, winning, agreeable, graceful, beautiful, elegant, etc. (syn.: pulcher, formosus, speciosus).
I Physically: species, Plaut. Poen. 5, 2, 153: vultus, Ter. And. 120; Suet. Ner. 51: gestus et motus corporis, Cic. Brut. 55, 203: soror, Cat. 89, 2.— Sup. : diva venustissima Venus, Plaut. Poen. 5, 4, 4: forma, Suet. Aug. 79.—Transf., of inanim. things: sphaera venustior et nobilior, Cic. Rep. 1, 14, 21: hortuli, Phaedr. 4, 5, 34: Sirmio, Cat. 31, 12: aspectus figurationis, Vitr. 3, 2.—
II Mentally: Graecus facilis et valde venustus, Cic. Pis. 28, 70: plerumque dolor etiam venustos facit, Plin. Ep. 3, 9, 3: venustum esse, quod cum gratiā quādam et venere dicatur apparet, Quint. 6, 3, 18: (genus dictionis) sententiosum et argutum, sententiae concinnae et venustae, Cic. Brut. 95, 325: (antiqua comoedia) grandis et elegans et venusta, Quint. 10, 1, 65: transitus, id. 9, 2, 61.— Comp. : homines venustiores, Cat. 3, 1: longe venustiora omnia in respondendo quam in provocando, Quint. 6, 3, 13.— Sup. : repercutiendi genus venustissimum, Quint. 6, 3, 78: materia, id. 6, 3, 84: lusus, id. 5, 13, 46.—Adv.: vĕnustē , charmingly , gracefully , beautifully : venuste cecidisse, most delightfully , Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 4, 2: dicere, Quint. 6, 3, 54: respondere, id. 5, 7, 31: eludere, id. 5, 13, 48: scribere mimiambos, Plin. Ep. 6, 21, 4.— Comp. : Hispanus hunc colorem venustius (adhibuit), Sen. Contr. 1, 1, 20.— Sup. : quibus venustissime Curio respondit, se, etc., Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 11, 2: omnia venustissime fingere, Quint. 6, 3, 41.