handsome
having an attractive, well-proportioned, and imposing appearance suggestive of health and strength; good-looking: a handsome man;a handsome woman.
having pleasing proportions, relationships, or arrangements, as of shapes, forms, or colors;attractive: a handsome house;a handsome interior.
considerable, ample, or liberal in amount: a handsome fortune.
gracious; generous; flattering: a handsome compliment;a handsome recommendation.
adroit and appealing; graceful: a handsome speech.
Origin of handsome
1word story For handsome
In the English of the mid-15th century, when this word was first recorded (as hondsom ), it meant “easy to handle” (obsolete now); by the mid-16th century handsome developed the senses “convenient, handy, suitable” (also obsolete) and “courteous, gracious,” and then “generous, noble, magnanimous.” Here we see the development from a meaning closely related to hands to one that simply implies their existence (behind the generosity).
The sense “(of a person) having an attractive appearance” dates from the late 16th century; the sense of “fairly large, considerable (as of an amount of money)” also dates from the latter half of the 16th century.
Other words for handsome
Opposites for handsome
Other words from handsome
- hand·some·ish, adjective
- hand·some·ness, noun
- su·per·hand·some, adjective
Words Nearby handsome
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use handsome in a sentence
He is, of course, incredibly handsome, and also Irish, traits that go a long way toward attaining “object of desire” status no matter what.
The fabulous Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar recalls a bygone age of wackadoodle comedy | Alissa Wilkinson | February 12, 2021 | VoxCarrie claims to be a simple gal despite, at one point, owning $40,000 worth of shoes and thriving on drama, and that’s how she ended up with emotionally unavailable, debatably handsome, wealthy Big, who thinks he can cook.
This Valentine’s Day, we couldn’t help but wonder, which ‘Sex and the City’ character will you most eat like? | Kari Sonde | February 11, 2021 | Washington PostWe were kicking around ideas about what happens to the geeks when John Daley gets tall and incredibly handsome, and suddenly the popular kids want to hang out with him more.
The restaurant comes to the rescue with handsome wraps for a mere $12.
Tom Sietsema’s 8 favorite places to eat right now | Tom Sietsema | January 26, 2021 | Washington PostOn that night, I met this kind, handsome, southern gentleman who would love me like I’ve never been loved.
‘Power’ Star Naturi Naughton Got Engaged For Christmas | Charli Penn | January 1, 2021 | Essence.com
I think everybody would like to be handsome and good at karate.
‘Archer’ Creator Adam Reed Spills Season 6 Secrets, From Surreal Plotlines to Life Post-ISIS | Marlow Stern | January 8, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTThe handsome Alexander Gilkes is one of the best-connected tastemakers on the art scene.
William, Kate, and Jay Z’s Favorite Art Star: Alexander Gilkes' World of Rock Stars and Royalty | Tim Teeman | December 10, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTMark Reay is a handsome model-turned-photographer who is homeless, living in a secret ‘nest’ on top of an apartment building.
Creator Takeuchi has described the handsome, older (than Sailor Moon) boy as her favorite character in the series.
‘Sailor Moon’ Is an Oasis for Superheroes Who Can Save the Universe in Heels | Rich Goldstein | November 26, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTWhy aren't you as handsome and/or Canadian as Justin Bieber?
Justin Bieber Isn’t Even 21, Yet Makes More Money Than Meryl Streep | Amy Zimmerman | November 25, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTIn such conditions many kinds which do not flourish very freely in the open garden, grow into handsome specimens.
How to Know the Ferns | S. Leonard BastinOf course, most specimens are probably taken up in the summer when the handsome foliage attracts the eye.
How to Know the Ferns | S. Leonard BastinI heard her say to one of the servants once that my father had been lost on a yacht, and that he was oh, ever such a handsome man.
Rosemary in Search of a Father | C. N. WilliamsonThis is certainly handsome, and I acknowledge the courtesy, though I shall not accept the invitation.
Glances at Europe | Horace GreeleyAt the age of forty-five Monte Irvin was not ill-looking, and, indeed, was sometimes spoken of as handsome.
Dope | Sax Rohmer
British Dictionary definitions for handsome
/ (ˈhændsəm) /
(of a man) good-looking, esp in having regular, pleasing, and well-defined features
(of a woman) fine-looking in a dignified way
well-proportioned, stately, or comely: a handsome room
liberal or ample: a handsome allowance
gracious or generous: a handsome action
Southwest English pleasant: handsome weather
Southwest English a term of endearment for a beloved person, esp in my handsome
Origin of handsome
1Derived forms of handsome
- handsomely, adverb
- handsomeness, 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
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