A handsome woman is it possible in modern English?

[Yuri Yurinov]

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Hi, everybody,

I was taught that the word 'handsome' goes with a male person only and when we are talking about an attractive female person we should say 'a pretty girl' or a 'beautiful woman'. But, reading English classics, I've come across the word combination 'a handsome woman' two or three times. Could you explain me ,please, when the word 'handsome' became a prerogative of a male person only or saying 'a handsom woman' is possible nowadays too.

Thanks,

Yuri
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[Kitosdad]

Hello Yuri. The term would be used to describe a presentable woman of pleasing features, but lacking the beauty of a beautiful woman.

Hope this makes sense to you.
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[Yuri Yurinov]

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Thank you, Kitosdad, nice to meet you.

Your answer was almost immediate. Maybe such a woman has some masculine features, a manly but rather an attractive person?
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[Kitosdad]

:) All things are possible Yuri.
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Keep it simple ... Keep it interesting.

[Yuri Yurinov]

This is impossible not to agree, Kitosdad. :lol:
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[Hieupt]

According the dictionary: http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=35566&dict=CALD

handsome adjective (ATTRACTIVE)
/ˈhæn.səm/ adj
•
describes a man who is physically attractive in a traditional, male way
She's dreaming she'll be whisked off her feet by a tall, dark handsome stranger.
•
describes a woman who is attractive but in a strong way
a handsome woman in her fifties
handsomely
adverb
/ˈhæn.səm.li/
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P/s: Please just correct if I'm wrong somewhere!

[Fimbriae]

I love pulchritudinous women more than handsome women.
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