How 'aesthetic' became an adjective

By Linah Mohammad,

Ailsa Chang, Sarah Handel

Published December 23, 2025 at 3:57 PM EST

NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with Shane O'Neill of The Washington Post about the word "aesthetic" and its evolution from art criticism and design theory to online speak and the White House.

Linah Mohammad

Prior to joining NPR in 2022, Mohammad was a producer on The Washington Post's daily flagship podcast Post Reports, where her work was recognized by multiple awards. She was honored with a Peabody award for her work on an episode on the life of George Floyd.

Ailsa Chang

Ailsa Chang is an award-winning journalist who hosts All Things Considered along with Ari Shapiro, Audie Cornish, and Mary Louise Kelly. She landed in public radio after practicing law for a few years.

See stories by Ailsa Chang

Sarah Handel

See stories by Sarah Handel

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