handsome
Pronunciation: /ˈhæn.səm/
The English word “handsome” has 10 meanings listed here.
adjective
- Having a pleasing appearance, good-looking, attractive, particularly
- Of a man or boy: attractively manly, having a pleasing face and overall effect.
- Of a woman: statuesque, beautiful in a masculine or otherwise imposing way.
- Good, appealing, appropriate.
- Of weather, fine, clear and bright.
- Suitable or fit in action; marked with propriety and ease; appropriate.
- Generous or noble in character.
- Ample; moderately large.
- Of people and things: dexterous; skillful.
verb
- To render handsome.
Etymology
From Middle English handsum, hondsom, equivalent to hand + -some. Compare Dutch handzaam, German Low German handsaam. The original sense was “easy to handle or use”, hence “suitable” and “apt, clever” (mid-16th century), giving rise to the current appreciatory senses (late 16th century).
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More English words
- handsies
- handsignalman
- handsiness
- handsoap
- handsome devil
- handsome is as handsome does
- handsomeish
- handsomely
About this dictionary
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Definitions are from Wiktionary, extracted by Kaikki.org, and are available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.