nounnounadjective

le beau

beautiful

Se dit de quelque chose ou quelqu’un qui plaît aux yeux ou au cœur, qui est agréable à regarder ou à ressentir.

Word: beau

Meaning: In French, "beau" is an adjective that means beautiful, handsome, or nice. It is used to describe something or someone that is aesthetically pleasing or attractive. When referring to a person, "beau" often means handsome (typically used for a man), but it can apply more generally to beauty or pleasantness.

Grammatical details:

"Beau" is the masculine singular form.
The feminine form is belle.
Masculine plural can be beaux, and feminine plural is belles.

Usage:

Beau + masculine noun starting with a consonant
Example: un beau jardin (a beautiful garden)
Bel + masculine noun starting with a vowel or mute h
Example: un bel homme (a handsome man)

Synonyms:

joli (pretty)
charmant (charming)
magnifique (magnificent)

Antonyms:

moche (slang, ugly)
laid (ugly)
affreux (awful)

Additional meanings:

Beau (noun)
Used as a noun, "un beau" can mean a boyfriend or male admirer (somebody who is romantically interested in someone). This usage is somewhat old-fashioned or literary.
In expressions:

beau-père – father-in-law or stepfather (literally “handsome father” or "good father," but used idiomatically)
beau-frère – brother-in-law

Summary:

"Beau" primarily means "beautiful" or "handsome" when describing someone or something. It changes form to agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. It can also function as a noun meaning a boyfriend or admirer, and appears in compound family-related words.