handsome

hand‧some /ˈhænsəm/ BrE AmE adjective
[Date: 1500-1600; Origin: handsome 'easy to handle' (15-17 centuries), from hand]
1.
a) a man who is handsome looks attractive SYN good-looking:
an extremely handsome young man
Sam was tall, dark, and handsome.
his handsome face
b) a woman who is handsome looks attractive in a strong healthy way
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say good-looking rather than handsome:
▪ Her new boyfriend is really good-looking.
2. an animal, object, or building that is handsome looks attractive in an impressive way:
a row of handsome Georgian houses
3. [only before noun] a handsome amount of money is large:
He managed to make a handsome profit out of the deal.
a handsome fee
4. [only before noun] a handsome gift or prize is worth a lot of money:
There are some handsome prizes to be won.
5. [only before noun] a handsome victory is important and impressive:
They won a handsome victory in the elections.
—handsomely adverb:
He was handsomely rewarded by the king.
• • •
THESAURUS
■ person
▪ beautiful a beautiful woman or child has perfect good looks: Grace Kelly was a very beautiful woman. | a beautiful baby
▪ good-looking a good-looking person looks nice. Good-looking is very common in spoken English: He’s a good-looking guy, but he’s a bit boring. | Do you think she’s good-looking?
▪ attractive an attractive person looks nice, especially in a way that makes you feel sexually interested in them: She’s a very attractive woman. | A lot of women find him attractive.
▪ pretty a pretty girl or woman looks nice – used especially about a woman who has a nice face: You look pretty with your hair down. | She has a very pretty face.
▪ handsome a handsome man or boy looks nice – used especially about a man who has a nice face. Handsome is also sometimes used, especially in literature, to describe a woman who is good-looking and has a strong face: He was tall, dark, and handsome. | She was a big, handsome woman.
▪ gorgeous/stunning spoken extremely attractive. Gorgeous is used especially by women: She thinks Brad Pitt is gorgeous. | You look absolutely stunning in that dress!
▪ cute spoken nice to look at – used about animals, babies, children, and young adults: a cute little puppy | She thinks you’re cute!
▪ lovely especially British English spoken used when saying that someone looks very nice: You look lovely tonight.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

handsome

hand·some [handsome handsomer handsomest] [ˈhænsəm] [ˈhænsəm] adjective (hand·somer, hand·som·est) more handsome and most handsome are more common
1. (of men) attractive
Syn: good-looking
• a handsome face
• He's the most handsome man I've ever met.

• He was aptly described as ‘ tall, dark, and handsome ’.

2. (of women) attractive, with large strong features rather than small delicate ones
• a tall, handsome woman

• The bride and groom made a handsome couple.

3. beautiful to look at
• a handsome horse/house/city

• The two of them made a handsome couple.

4. large in amount or quantity
• a handsome profit
• He was elected by a handsome majority (= a lot of people voted for him).

• a handsome cheque

5. generous
• She paid him a handsome compliment.
• It was very handsome of him to pay for the meal.
Derived Words: handsomely ▪ handsomeness
Word Origin:
Middle English: from hand + -some. The original sense was ‘easy to handle or use’, hence ‘suitable’ and ‘apt, clever’ (mid 16th cent.), giving rise to the current appreciatory senses (late 16th cent.).
Synonyms:
beautiful
pretty • handsome • attractive • lovely • good-looking • gorgeous
These words all describe people who are pleasant to look at.
beautiful • (especially of a woman or girl) very pleasant to look at: ▪ She looked stunningly beautiful that night.
pretty • (especially of a girl or woman) pleasant to look at: ▪ She's got a very pretty face.
Pretty is used most often to talk about girls. When it is used to talk about a woman, it usually suggests that she is like a girl, with small, delicate features.
handsome • (of a man) pleasant to look at; (of a woman) pleasant to look at, with large strong features rather than small delicate ones: ▪ He was described as ‘ ▪ tall, dark and handsome ▪ ’.
attractive • (of a person) pleasant to look at, especially in a sexual way: ▪ She's a very attractive woman.
lovely • (of a person) beautiful; very attractive: ▪ She looked particularly lovely that night.
When you describe sb as lovely, you are usually showing that you also have a strong feeling of affection for them.
good-looking • (of a person) pleasant to look at, often in a sexual way: ▪ She arrived with a very good-looking man.
gorgeous • (informal) (of a person) extremely attractive, especially in a sexual way: ▪ You look gorgeous!
attractive or good-looking?
If you describe sb as attractive you often also mean that they have a pleasant personality as well as being pleasant to look at; good-looking just describes sb's physical appearance.
a(n) beautiful/pretty/handsome/attractive/lovely/good-looking/gorgeous girl/woman
a(n) beautiful/handsome/attractive/good-looking/gorgeous boy/man
a(n) beautiful/pretty/handsome/attractive/lovely/good-looking face
Example Bank:
• a tall, dark, handsome stranger
• his ruggedly handsome features
• He had an interesting and rather handsome face.
• He was elected by a handsome majority ().
• He's the most handsome man I've ever met.
• I enjoyed the job, and was paid a handsome salary too.
• She was a tall, handsome woman.

• They sold the house two years later at a handsome profit.

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition

handsome / ˈhæn.səm / adjective (ATTRACTIVE)

B1 describes a man who is physically attractive in a traditional, male way:

She's dreaming she'll be whisked off her feet by a tall, dark handsome stranger.

describes a woman who is attractive but in a strong way:

a handsome woman in her fifties

handsomely / -li / adverb

He said if his results were good, he would reward him handsomely.

handsome / ˈhæn.səm / adjective [ before noun ] (LARGE AMOUNT)

C2 large in amount:

They made a handsome profit on their house.

handsomely / -li / adverb

He said if his results were good, he would reward him handsomely.

Collins Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

handsome

/hænsəm/

1.
A handsome man has an attractive face with regular features.
...a tall, dark, handsome sheep farmer.
= good-looking
ADJ

2.
A handsome woman has an attractive appearance with features that are large and regular rather than small and delicate.
...an extremely handsome woman with a beautiful voice.
ADJ

3.
A handsome sum of money is a large or generous amount. (FORMAL)
They will make a handsome profit on the property.
ADJ: ADJ n
• hand‧some‧ly
He was rewarded handsomely for his efforts.
ADV: ADV with v

4.
If someone has a handsome win or a handsome victory, they get many more points or votes than their opponent.
The opposition won a handsome victory in the election.
ADJ: ADJ n
• hand‧some‧ly
The car ran perfectly to the finish, and we won handsomely.
ADV: ADV after v

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

handsome

hand·some /ˈhænsəm/ adj hand·som·er; -est [also more ~; most ~]
1 : pleasing to look at : attractive
• It was a handsome house situated on a large lot.
• The book includes many handsome illustrations. especially; of a person : having a pleasing appearance that causes romantic or sexual feelings in someone
• a handsome face
• I predict that someone tall, dark, and handsome is going to come into your life.
✦Men are more frequently described as handsome than women. synonyms seebeautiful
2 always used before a noun : large in size or amount
• He inherited a handsome fortune.
• He made a handsome profit on the sale of the house.
• They made handsome [=generous] contributions to charity.
3 always used before a noun : done or achieved in an impressive way
• The book is a handsome tribute to a great poet.
• (chiefly Brit) She won a handsome victory in the election.
- hand·some·ly adv
• The book is handsomely illustrated with ink drawings.
• He was handsomely [=generously] rewarded for his loyalty.
- hand·some·ness noun [noncount]
• an actor known for his rugged handsomeness