hand·some

[han-suhm]
adjective, hand·som·er, hand·som·est.
1.
having an attractive, well-proportioned, and imposing appearance suggestive of health and strength; good-looking: a handsome man; a handsome woman.
2.
having pleasing proportions, relationships, or arrangements, as of shapes, forms, or colors; attractive: a handsome house; a handsome interior.
3.
exhibiting skill, taste, and refinement; well-made: a handsome story; handsome furniture.
4.
considerable, ample, or liberal in amount: a handsome fortune.
5.
gracious; generous; flattering: a handsome compliment; a handsome recommendation.
6.
adroit and appealing; graceful: a handsome speech.

Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English handsom easy to handle (see hand, -some1); cognate with Dutch handzaam tractable

hand·some·ish, adjective
hand·some·ness, noun
su·per·hand·some, adjective


1. See beautiful. 4. large, generous, munificent.


1. ugly. 4, 5. small, miserly.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To handsome
00:10
Handsome is always a great word to know.
So is flibbertigibbet. Does it mean:
a chattering or flighty, light-headed person.
a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison.
Collins
World English Dictionary
handsome (ˈhændsəm) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
adj
1.  (of a man) good-looking, esp in having regular, pleasing, and well-defined features
2.  (of a woman) fine-looking in a dignified way
3.  well-proportioned, stately, or comely: a handsome room
4.  liberal or ample: a handsome allowance
5.  gracious or generous: a handsome action
6.  (Southwest English) pleasant: handsome weather
 
n
7.  (Southwest English) a term of endearment for a beloved person, esp in my handsome
 
[C15: handsom easily handled; compare Dutch handzaam; see hand, -some1]
 
'handsomely
 
adv
 
'handsomeness
 
n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

handsome
c.1400, handsom "easy to handle, ready at hand," from hand (n.) + -some. Sense extended to "fair size, considerable" (1577), then "having fine form, good-looking" (1590). Meaning "generous" (in handsome reward, etc.) first recorded 1690.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Example sentences
The book comes with a handsome poster.
He is six feet one and blindingly handsome, and also-a rare feature-extremely
  sweet.
He bounded to the podium, handsome in a sharp dark suit, and unleashed a
  booming voice.
It resembles a large beach pebble and is a thoroughly handsome addition to
  salads.
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
FAVORITES
RECENT