HANDSOME
(also see ATTRACTIVE, GOOD-LOOKING, etc.)
ADJECTIVES
..725 — SMICKER beautiful, elegant, fair, handsome → obs.
1300 — FARRAND — FARRANT of a person: well-favoured, comely, handsome → Sc. & N. Eng. obs.
1300 — QUAINT of persons; beautiful or handsome in appearance; finely or fashionably dressed; elegant, foppish → obs.
1340 — AVENANT handsome, comely, graceful; pleasant → obs.
1340 — DAINTY pleasant, agreeable, fine, handsome → obs. exc. Sc. & Eng. dial.
1386 — FEATOUS of things: skilfully or artistically fashioned; hence, elegant, handsome, becoming; often said of dress → obs.
1387 — SIGHTY sightly, fair, handsome → obs.
1390 — PROPER good-looking or handsome → colloq.
1430 — PERSONABLE having a well-formed body; well-made, handsome; good-looking, comely, presentable → chiefly literary usage
1450 — TALL comely, goodly, fair, handsome; elegant, fine → obs.
1500 — WALLIE — WALLY — WALY handsome, fine; large, ample → Sc.
1513 — VENUST handsome, beautiful; elegant, graceful; comely in appearance → obs.
1530 — SNOUT-FAIR having a fair countenance; fair-faced, comely, pretty, handsome, good-looking; in frequent use in the 16th and early 17th century, usually with some disparaging suggestion → obs.
1550 — GOODLIKE good-looking, handsome → orig. Sc. & Eng. dial.
1552 — GALLANT of women: fine-looking, handsome → obs.
1600 — DECENT comely, handsome → obs.
1604 — VAGE fine, handsome → obs.
1668 — BELLE pretty, handsome → obs.
1674 — FARRANTLY of a person: comely, handsome, good-looking → N. Eng. dial.
1720 — GAUCIE — GAUCY — GAUSIE — GAWCIE — GAWCY — GAWSY of persons: well-dressed and jolly-looking; of things: large and handsome → Sc. & N. Eng. dial.
1721 — FEG fair, handsome; fine → Eng. dial. obs.
1725 — HANTY handsome → Sc. obs.
1779 — LIKELY handsome, well-formed → US
1790 — FARRANDLY of persons: comely, handsome, good-looking; decent, respectable; neat, tidy → Eng. dial.
1809 — LIKELY handsome, attractive; good-natured; pleasing, agreeable → Amer. dial.
1860 — GRADELY handsome, comely, good-looking; fine, splendid; healthy → Eng. dial.
1868 — VIEWLY sightly, good to look at, handsome, comely → Eng. dial.
1868 — VIEWLYSOME sightly, good to look at, handsome, comely → Eng. dial.
1881 — SCRUMPTIOUS stylish, resplendently beautiful, gorgeous; handsome → sl., orig. US
1899 — CLEVER pretty, handsome → Amer. dial.
1900 — DENTY-CUM-PRETTY handsome and conceited → Eng. dial. (Bk.)
1911 — BRAW fine, gaily dressed; handsome → Sc. (Bk.)
1911 — BRAWSOME comely, handsome; rather ‘braw’ → Sc. (Bk.)
1923 — PORTLY handsome, imposing → Amer. dial.
1929 — VIRE of persons, animals, or things: pretty, showy, handsome, well-made, or well-fed → Sc.
1961 — PRIDY proud; handsome → Amer. dial.
1964 — BOSS handsome or attractive → US students’ sl. (Bk.)
1966 — CHAUD very handsome or attractive → US students’ sl. (Bk.)
1968 — HUMPY handsome, sexy → US homosexual usage
1968 — LAID OUT attractive, handsome → US students’ sl.
1970 — FUNKY handsome; good-looking → US students’ sl. (Bk.)
1970 — STUDLEY handsome, sexually attractive: said of males → US students’ sl. (Bk.)
1982 — BUFF handsome, excellent → US sl.
1982 — VICIOUS handsome → US sl.
1998 — CLASSIC handsome, well-dressed → US sl.
NOUNS – PERSON
1566 — GANYMEDE a beautiful or handsome young man
1592 — ADON a fop, a dandy or exquisite; a handsome young man; an Adonis → obs.
1623 — ADONIS a very handsome man → Eng. sl.
1665 — BEAU-GARZON a handsome fellow; an exquisite; a fop
1675 — FRIGATE a handsome woman → nautical sl.
1687 — BEAU GARÇON a handsome fellow; an exquisite, a fop
1769 — LADYKILLER a handsome, charming man who habitually seduces women → humorous usage
1850 — LUXER a handsome fellow → Brit. sl.
1886 — NAILER a handsome woman → sl.
1889 — BELVIDERE a handsome fellow → sl. (Bk.)
1905 — MAN OF WAX a smart, clever fellow; a very handsome man; also a term of endearment → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
1932 — BANG a handsome man → US sl.
1942 — ABLE GABLE an admirable or handsome male → Amer. sl. (Bk.)
1942 — ALAN LADDY an admirable or handsome male → Amer. sl. (Bk.)
1942 — BIG HUNK O’ MAN an admirable or handsome male → Amer. sl. (Bk.)
1942 — BOY BEAUTIFUL an admirable or handsome male → Amer. sl. (Bk.)
1942 — CLARK GABLE a nickname for a handsome man → Amer. sl. (Bk.)
1942 — GLAMOUR BOY an admirable or handsome male → Amer. sl. (Bk.)
1942 — GOOD JOE an admirable or handsome male → Amer. sl. (Bk.)
1942 — GOOD-LOOKIN’ a nickname for a handsome man or attractive girl → Amer. sl. (Bk.)
1942 — HANDSOME a nickname for a handsome man → Amer. sl. (Bk.)
1942 — ROBERT TAYLOR a nickname for a handsome man → Amer. sl. (Bk.)
1942 — SMOOTH JACKSON an admirable or handsome male → Amer. sl. (Bk.)
1942 — SUPERMAN an admirable or handsome male → Amer. sl. (Bk.)
1942 — TALL, DARK, AND HANDSOME a nickname for a handsome man → Amer. sl. (Bk.)
1942 — TWANGIE BOY an admirable or handsome male → US sl. (Bk.)
1942 — VALENTINO a nickname for a handsome man → Amer. sl. (Bk.)
1945 — BIG BRUISER a handsome male → jive usage (Bk.)
1953 — SILVER FOX a handsome man with silver-grey hair → colloq.
1959 — DARK GABLE a suave, handsome Black man — a ladies’ man → US sl.
1960 — CAKES a pretty young woman, or a handsome young man → US sl.
1960 — CAKIE a pretty young woman, or a handsome young man → US sl.
1964 — BABYCAKES a pretty young woman or handsome man → sl.
1966 — FINE PIECE a handsome fellow; a good-looking male → US high school sl. (Bk.)
1970 — BAD DUDE a handsome man → US students’ sl. (Bk.)
1977 — HEINIE a handsome man → US students’ sl.
1981 — SUPERHUNK a very sexually attractive man, esp. one who is muscular or ruggedly handsome → colloq., orig. US
1990 — MCDADDY a handsome, virile man → sl.
1992 — MACK DADDY a very good-looking young man; a handsome, sexy male → African-American sl.
1995 — DON JUAN a handsome, suave, and romantic man → US sl. (Bk.)
2006 — BEEFCAKE a muscularly handsome male → US sl. (Bk.)