The quality of being attractive or good-looking, especially in a strong or impressive way.
From 'handsome' (meaning easy to handle, then attractive) plus the suffix '-ness' meaning state or quality. 'Handsome' originally meant 'easy to handle' in Middle English before evolving to mean aesthetically pleasing.
The word 'handsome' used to mean 'convenient' or 'easy to use'—think of something that fits well in your hand. Over time, people applied it to people who were easy on the eyes, and the meaning completely flipped!
Handsomeness historically emphasized masculine beauty and sexual appeal, with 'handsome' originally applied primarily to men. This created asymmetry with 'beautiful' (more often feminized) and reinforced narrow standards of attractiveness tied to gender performance.
Use 'handsomeness' for any gender when describing physical appeal; avoid assuming handsomeness = masculine or that feminine beauty requires different terminology. Apply equally across genders.
["attractiveness","striking appearance","good looks"]
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.