handsome

The story

1. Proto-Germanic*handuz
2. Proto-West Germanic*handu
3. Old Englishhand
4. Middle Englishhond
5. Proto-Indo-European*sem-
6. Proto-Indo-European*somHós
7. Proto-Germanic*samaz
8. Middle Englishhondsom
9. English todayhandsome

From Middle English handsum, hondsom, equivalent to hand + -some. Compare Dutch handzaam, German Low German handsaam. The original sense was “easy to handle or use”, hence “suitable” and “apt, clever” (mid-16th century), giving rise to the current appreciatory senses (late 16th century).