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Prepossessing

[pree-pə-ZES-ing]

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Unknown, mid-17th century

1.

Attractive or appealing in appearance.

Examples of Prepossessing in a sentence

"The rundown neighborhood has become more prepossessing due to recent renovations."

"Miriam 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.

illustration Prepossessing

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