attractive

[uh-trak-tiv]

See more synonyms for attractive on Thesaurus.com

adjective

providing pleasure or delight, especially in appearance or manner; pleasing; charming; alluring: an attractive personality.
arousing interest or engaging one's thought, consideration, etc.: an attractive idea; an attractive price.
having the quality of attracting.

Origin of attractive

1375–1425; late Middle English attractif (< Middle French) < Late Latin attractīvus of a medicine with drawing power. See attract, -ive

Related formsat·trac·tive·ly, adverbat·trac·tive·ness, nounsu·per·at·trac·tive, adjectivesu·per·at·trac·tive·ly, adverbsu·per·at·trac·tive·ness, nounun·at·trac·tive, adjectiveun·at·trac·tive·ly, adverbun·at·trac·tive·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for attractiveness

Contemporary Examples

She writes, “In your early 20s, you are at the peak of your attractiveness and your fertility.”
Why Some Women Should Listen To Princeton Mom (But Not All Of Us)
Keli Goff
March 12, 2014
Judges are looking for “style, obviously, educational value, laughs per second, attractiveness,” Black says.
The Friskies Awards Aim to Find the Next Internet Cat Star October 15
Kelsey Meany
September 22, 2013
I know, for example, that there's an internal Ethiopian hierarchy of attractiveness related to skin tone.
Israel’s Ethiopian Beauty Queen Sparks Debate
Don Futterman
April 12, 2013
And how common is an attractiveness gap in American couples?
The Ugly Husbands Club
Tony Doukopil
July 29, 2011
And at the height of my attractiveness they worked great for me.
Kathleen Turner's New Broadway High
Kevin Sessums
April 17, 2011

Historical Examples

They say that she had color and attractiveness, although she was unusually shy and reserved.
Herbert Hoover
Vernon Kellogg
This advent added much to the attractiveness of Long Key for me.
Tales of Fishes
Zane Grey
Thus will its utility and attractiveness both be well secured.
A Book for All Readers
Ainsworth Rand Spofford
You could not suggest an attractiveness to the body or suggest any refinement to the manner.
The Wedding Ring
T. De Witt Talmage
What did they mean by talking about the man's attractiveness?
Half a Hero
Anthony Hope

British Dictionary definitions for attractiveness

attractive

adjective

appealing to the senses or mind through beauty, form, character, etc
arousing interestan attractive opportunity
possessing the ability to draw or pullan attractive force

Derived Formsattractively, adverbattractiveness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for attractiveness

attractive

adj.

late 14c., "absorptive," from Middle French attractif (14c.), from attract-, past participle stem of attrahere (see attract). Meaning "having the quality of drawing people's eye or interest" is from 1580s; sense of "pleasing, alluring" is from c.1600. Related: Attractively; attractiveness.

attractive

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}attractive

Examples from the Web for attractiveness

Contemporary Examples

She writes, “In your early 20s, you are at the peak of your attractiveness and your fertility.”

Judges are looking for “style, obviously, educational value, laughs per second, attractiveness,” Black says.

I know, for example, that there's an internal Ethiopian hierarchy of attractiveness related to skin tone.

And how common is an attractiveness gap in American couples?

And at the height of my attractiveness they worked great for me.

Historical Examples

They say that she had color and attractiveness, although she was unusually shy and reserved.

This advent added much to the attractiveness of Long Key for me.

Thus will its utility and attractiveness both be well secured.

You could not suggest an attractiveness to the body or suggest any refinement to the manner.

What did they mean by talking about the man's attractiveness?

attractive

Word Origin and History for attractiveness

attractive

adj.

Origin of attractive