/as"pekt/ , n.
1. appearance to the eye or mind; look: the physical aspect of the country.
2. nature; quality; character: the superficial aspect of the situation.
3. a way in which a thing may be viewed or regarded; interpretation; view: both aspects of a decision.
4. part; feature; phase: That is the aspect of the problem that interests me most.
5. facial expression; countenance: He wore an aspect of gloom. Hers was an aspect of happy optimism.
6. bearing; air; mien: warlike in aspect.
7. view commanded; exposure: The house has a southern aspect.
8. the side or surface facing a given direction: the dorsal aspect of a fish; the northern aspect of the house.
9. Gram.
a. a category or interrelated set of categories for which the verb is inflected in some languages, typically to indicate the duration, repetition, completion, or quality of the action or state denoted by the verb.
b. a set of syntactic devices, as in the English perfect with have in I have gone, with functions similar to such inflections.
c. any of the members or instances of these categories or sets: the Latin perfect aspect; the Russian imperfect aspect.
d. the meaning of, or meaning typical of, such a category or construction.
e. such categories or constructions, or their meanings collectively.
10. Astrol.
a. the angular distance between two points as seen from the earth, primarily derived by dividing the 360 degrees of the zodiac by the integers 1 through 12.
b. the influence of any two planets or groups of planets located at such points.
11. Archaic. a look; glance.
[ 1350-1400; ME aspectus appearance, visible form, the action of looking at, equiv. to aspec- (var. s. of aspicere to observe, look at; a- A- 5 + -spicere, comb. form of specere to see) + -tus suffix of v. action ]
Syn. 1. See appearance. 7. prospect, outlook.