Winsome

[Dr. Goodword]

• winsome •

Pronunciation: win-sêm • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Adjective

Meaning: Attractive, charming, engaging in a child-like way.

Notes: No, this isn't the first part of the phrase 'winsome, losesome'. It is a lovely word with a lovely meaning read more in poetry and fiction than heard in conversations. It comes with a noun, winsomeness, and an adverb, winsomely. It may be compared the Germanic way, winsomer, winsomest, or the French way more winsome, most winsome.

In Play: This adjective describes the beauty and character of girls and women: "Marilyn was a winsome lass and clearly the prettiest of all those parading across the stage." Even attached to other words it always describes a girl: "Barbie Dahl was bright-eyed and eager to help with a winsome smile that captivated everyone."

Word History: Today's Good Word is an authentic Germanic English word (not borrowed). In Old English it was spelled wynsum with approximately the same meaning. It was made up of wyn "joy, delight" + -sum "as one, together with", a suffix akin to same. Wyn descended from Proto-Indo-European wen- "to wish for, strive, want, love", remnants of which may be seen in Sanskrit vanati "wins", the name of the Latin goddess of love, Venus, Latin venerari "to worship", and venor "to hunt", Irish fine "family", and German wohnen "to dwell". The suffix -sum comes from PIE sem- "as one, together with", also the source of the word same. We find evidence of it in Latin singulus "single, alone" and semper "always", Greek homos "same", Icelandic sin "oneself", and, perhaps, German sein "his, her, its". (Another lovely Good Word from grandmaster of suggestions, Rob Towart, contributing 132 GWs since 2009.)

[Slava]

I would tend to contend that winsome can also be applied to males, though most likely when they are still quite young and innocent.

Looking at other places about this word I came across winly, too. And that a winning smile is not related, coming from 'to win'. Adds up to me.

Any thoughts on the possibility of masculine winsomeness?

[David Myer]

I can't see any reason why it shouldn't be applied to men and boys - certainly from the word history as propounded here. I guess it's just that men aren't generally as lovely as women. Much like beauty, I suppose. A beautiful man...

Interested that Wyn is a common part of first names - particularly women's. Everything from Blodwyn to Winifred and other female names. In Wales of course we have Gwynneth and Gwendolyn (although they may have a different origin). Also Arwen and Bowen. And still in Wales, Wyn or Wynn or Wynne are frequent boys names.

[Slava]

I remembered looking up Gwendolyn for some other reason a while back, so I double-checked and sure enough, she is from different roots; Breton Gwenn "white". I also just noticed that she's perhaps related to one of my favorite names; Fiona. You can see them both at https://www.etymonline.com/word/Gwendolyn.

[Debbymoge]

winsome man

handsome woman

any comments?

[Slava]

I like winsome child, male or female, but not an adult male.

Handsome woman - my mother was considered such in her later years.

[David Myer]

Thanks for the Gwendolyn research, Slava. Interesting.

Yes, Debby, handsome is somehow a deeper quality than mere skin-deep beauty. Elegance and bearing are in there somewhere. More of an overall package.

Either way, I am afraid I can't currently lay claim to any of these qualities. I ran to catch the tram yesterday, taking a shortcut through the trees and hit a low hanging branch. It knocked me off my feet, and lots of skin off my forehead and nose. I did catch the tram, blood dripping down my face. But I am no longer a pretty sight - at least for the time being.

[Debbymoge]

David, from where I sit, you're as attractive as ever. The superficial (or superfacial in this case?) is of "no mind nor merit" in my world.
In your case, as with the others I've met on here, the mind IS the merit and all that is required for people in my world to be gorgeous.
(hmmmm wonder what that word is derived from... somehow has always sounded less attractive than its meaning)

[Slava]

Gorgeous. (Urrrp)

[Debbymoge]

Slava, my point precisely!

well, perhaps with a touch of the Gorgon to it also?)

[Slava]

Gorgon looks to be a different root. The link is to gorgonize, but if the shoe fits... .