Question 1 · Quick check
handsome
CEFRA2
/ˈhæn.səm/
adjective
Türkçe translations
Translating…
In plain English
- 01
adjective
Attractive, especially describing a man.
- 02
adjective
Extra detailHaving a pleasing appearance, good-looking, attractive, particularly
Examples
He is not handsome, to be sure, but he is good-natured.
Peter and Eve make a handsome couple.
At a glance
Sits at A2 on the CEFR scale
- Senses
- 5
- Parts of speech
- 1
- Citations
- 5
- Synonyms
- 2
Deep Dive
adjective
Extra meaningsHaving a pleasing appearance, good-looking, attractive
Of a man or boy: attractively manly, having a pleasing face and overall effect.
Of a woman: statuesque, beautiful in a masculine or otherwise imposing way.
More examples
In contextTom is the most handsome actor in the world.
I was struck dumb. Here was the most handsome man I’d ever seen in my life coming out of the surf.
She was either handsome or her uniform created a flattering effect but—being very nearsighted—he couldn't tell from this distance.
Related
Quick test
Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.
Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.
Nearby
Origin
adjective
From Middle English handsum, hondsom, equivalent to hand + -some. Compare Dutch handzaam, German Low German handsaam. The original sense was “easy to handle or use”, hence “suitable” and “apt, clever” (mid-16th century), giving rise to the current appreciatory senses (late 16th century).