sonsy

American  

[son-see] / ˈsɒn si /

Also sonsie.

adjective

Scot. and North England, Irish English.

sonsier, sonsiest

1. strong and healthy; robust.

2. agreeable; good-natured.

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sonsy British  

/ ˈsɒnsɪ /

adjective

1. plump; buxom; comely

2. cheerful; good-natured

3. lucky

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Etymology

Origin of sonsy

1525–35; sonse “prosperity, good fortune” ( Middle English ( Scots ) < Scots Gaelic sonas, Middle Irish sonus, derivative of sona “prosperous, happy,” Old Irish son ) + -y ¹ ( def. ); cf. donsie

Example Sentences

She tied up her sonsy beast, that was, like herself, fat as pats of butter, to the yettpost of the miser's garden.

From Deep Moat Grange by Crockett, S. R. (Samuel Rutherford)

There 's sonsy James, wha wears a wig, A widower fresh and canty, Though turn'd o' sixty, gaes fu' trig, He 's rich, and rowes in plenty.

From The Modern Scottish Minstrel, Volume II. The Songs of Scotland of the past half century by Rogers, Charles

David, as he trudged sorrowfully homeward across the fields, carried with him the mental picture of a plump, sonsy woman, in a trim dress of plum-coloured homespun and ruffled blue-check apron, haloed by candlelight.

From Lucy Maud Montgomery Short Stories, 1909 to 1922 by Montgomery, L. M. (Lucy Maud)

Better rough an' sonsy than bare an' donsy.

From The Proverbs of Scotland by Hislop, Alexander

Refusing her kind offer with thanks, I produced a sonsy specimen of Betty's laundry-work, which I rolled round my right-hand thumb.

From Betty Grier by Waugh, Joseph Laing