Comprehensive
Dictionary Suite
Help
Help
Help
 
     
Lookup History
handsome
create

hand·some

handsome

 
 
pronunciation:
haen sm
features:
Word Combinations (adjective), Word History, Word Explorer, Word Parts
part of speech: adjective
inflections: handsomer, handsomest
definition 1: having a pleasing and healthy appearance; nice to look at.
He is a handsome man.
synonyms:
good-looking
antonyms:
plain, ugly
similar words:
attractive, beautiful, becoming, fair, pretty
definition 2: large or generous in amount.
She was given a handsome reward.
synonyms:
generous
antonyms:
meager
similar words:
abundant, ample, considerable, large, liberal, plentiful
Word CombinationsSubscriber feature About this feature
derivations: handsomely (adv.), handsomeness (n.)
Word History
The word handsome comes from an early English word that means "easy to handle." The meaning of "handsome" changed, to "good-looking," about five hundred years ago in the 1500s.
Word Explorer
See
  face
Word PartsSubscriber feature About this feature