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Etymology
Dictionary
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Origin and Etymology of the word
HANDSOME.
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From An Etymology
Dictionary of the English Language, by Walter W. Skeat, 1893 |
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HANDSOME,
comely, orig. dexterous. (E.) Formerly it signified able,
adroit, dexterous; see Trench, Select Glossary; Shak. has it in the mod.
sense. M.E. handsum. 'Handsum, or esy to
hond werke, esy to han hand werke, manualis;' Prompt. Parv.—A.S. hand,
hand; and suffix -sum, as in wyn-sum, winsome, joyous; but the
whole word handsum does not appear. + Du. handzaam, tractable,
serviceable. β. The suffix -sum is the same as Du.
-zaam, G. -sam
(in lang-sam); see Winsome. Der.
handsome-ly; handsome-ness, Troil.
ii. 1. 16.
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| Etymology
Dictionary Index |
| A, B,
C, D, E,
F, G, H,
I, J, K,
L, M, N,
O, P, Q,
R, S, T,
U, V, W,
X, Y, Z
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| Key |
| Arab.=Arabic. |
| A.S.=Anglo
Saxon. |
| Bavar.=Bavarian |
| Bohem.=Bohemian. |
| C.=Celtic,
used as a general term for Irish, Gaelic, Welsh, Breton,
Cornish, &c. |
| Corn.=Cornish. |
| Dan.=Danish. |
| Du.=Dutch |
| E.=English. |
| E.E.=Early
English. |
| Europ.=European. |
| F.=French. |
| G.=German. |
| Gk.=Greek. |
| Goth.=Gothic. |
| Icel.=Icelandic. |
| Ital.=Italian. |
| L. or
Lat.=Latin. |
| Lith.
& Lithuan.=Lithuanian. |
| M.E.=Middle
English. |
| M.F.=Middle
French |
| M.H.G.=Middle
High German. |
| Norw.=Norwegian. |
| O.F.=Old
French. |
| O.H.G.=Old
High German. |
| Pers.=Persian. |
| Port.=Portuguese. |
| Scand.=Scandinavian,
used as a general term for Icelandic, Swedish, Danish,
&c. |
| Sc.=Scottish. |
| Skt.=Sanskrit. |
| Span.=Spanish. |
| Swed.=Sweish. |
| Teut.=Teutonic |
| Turk.=Turkish. |
| W.=Welsh. |
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