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HOW TO PRONOUNCE

handsome

/ˈhænsəm/

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American Pronunciation Guide · 0:47
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What does handsome mean?

adjective

  1. Having a pleasing appearance, good-looking, attractive, particularly
  2. Of a man or boy: attractively manly, having a pleasing face and overall effect.
  3. Of a woman: statuesque, beautiful in a masculine or otherwise imposing way.
More meanings (7)

adjective

  1. Good, appealing, appropriate.
  2. (figuratively) Of weather, fine, clear and bright.
  3. Suitable or fit in action; marked with propriety and ease; appropriate.
  4. Generous or noble in character.
  5. Ample; moderately large.
  6. (obsolete) Of people and things: dexterous; skillful.

verb

  1. (obsolete) To render handsome.

Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0

IPA pronunciation

/ˈhænsəm/

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.

In the pages of books

See this word in context.

They were handsome, smiling youths, of eighteen and twenty, with pale-gold skins, smooth cheeks, aquiline features, and wavy black hair, like Johnny’s.
Willa CatherThe Song of the LarkProject Gutenberg ebook #44
Before Kulan Tith could issue the commands that would initiate the investigation a handsome young officer stepped forward and addressed his jeddak.
Edgar Rice BurroughsThe warlord of MarsProject Gutenberg ebook #68
More book examples (3)
Yes, and handsome, after a rude fashion, and clothed with ivy from base to summit, as with a shirt of scale mail.
Mark TwainA Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's CourtProject Gutenberg ebook #86
Jude would now have been described as a young man with a forcible, meditative, and earnest rather than handsome cast of countenance.
Thomas HardyJude the ObscureProject Gutenberg ebook #153
She was throwing away with one hand, whatever she might intend to do with the other, a very handsome sum of money.
Henry JamesThe AmericanProject Gutenberg ebook #177