Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Pleasing in appearance; attractive; good-looking: Describes a person whose physical appearance is considered aesthetically pleasing, often implying a pleasant and agreeable look that conforms to conventional standards of beauty or handsomeness.

Examples of Usage

• Adjective:
  • She was a well-favoured woman, with kind eyes and a gentle smile.
  • The portrait showed a well-favoured gentleman from a bygone era.
  • Our southern women are well-favored. (As noted by Lillian Hellman)

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in a formal or literary context to describe someone's appearance in a complimentary, somewhat traditional manner. It can imply a wholesome or agreeable attractiveness rather than a striking or extraordinary beauty.
  • The prince was seeking a well-favoured and virtuous bride.

Variants and Related Words

• Well-favored (adj): The standard American English spelling of the word.
  • He was a well-favored young man with a bright future.
• Good-looking (adj): A more common synonym.
• Fine-looking (adj): Similar in meaning, often used for a dignified or impressive appearance.
• Pretty (adj): Generally used for women or girls, suggesting delicacy and charm.
• Handsome (adj): Often used for men, suggesting a dignified and pleasing appearance; can also be used for women to suggest stately beauty.

Synonyms

• Attractive
• Comely (archaic/literary)
• Fair (archaic/literary)
• Personable

Antonyms

• Plain
• Unattractive
• Homely

Notes on Usage

• "Well-favoured" (with a 'u') is the preferred spelling in British English, while "well-favored" is used in American English.
• The term is somewhat dated and is more commonly found in classic literature or formal descriptions than in everyday modern conversation. In contemporary usage, words like "attractive," "good-looking," or "pretty" are more frequent.
• It is typically used as an attributive adjective (placed before the noun) but can also be used predicatively.
  • Attributive: a well-favoured face
  • Predicative: She was well-favoured.

Adjective

1. pleasing in appearance especially by reason of conformity to ideals of form and proportion
   • a fine-looking woman
   • a good-looking man
   • better-looking than her sister
   • very pretty but not so extraordinarily handsome- Thackeray
   • our southern women are well-favored- Lillian Hellman