WORD OF THE DAY: Prepossessing
[pree-pə-ZES-ing]
Part of speech: Adjective
Origin: Unknown, mid-17th century
Definition: Attractive or appealing in appearance.
Examples of Prepossessing in a sentence
“The rundown neighborhood has become more prepossessing due to recent renovations.”
“Anne had a prepossessing aura that always attracted people to her.”
About Prepossessing
In the 1610s, this word was related to “getting possession of land beforehand.” The meaning morphed about 20 years later into “possessing a person beforehand with a feeling or notion.” And in the 1640s, the meaning broadened into causing someone to “have a favorable opinion of something; to preoccupy the mind or heart of.”
Did you Know?
“Prepossessing” also has archaic definitions that means creating prejudice and possessing something prior to a specific time.
