handsome

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   Good-looking, especially of a man.

   He was a tall, handsome young man.

2. 2
   adj

   Large in amount, especially of money.

   She made a handsome profit on the sale.

3. 3
   adj

   Attractive and pleasing in appearance, of a thing.

   They live in a handsome old house by the river.

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).

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