Etymologically
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attractive

Etymology and origin of the English word attractive

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
late 14th century
Borrowed from
Middle French attractif via Middle English
Ultimate origin
Latin (attrahere)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /əˈtræk.tɪv/[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English attractif, borrowed from Middle French attractif (“having the power to attract”),[2][3] itself from Late Latin attractīvus,[3][4] from attractus, the past participle of Latin attrahere “to draw to”,[2][4] from ad “to” and trahere “to draw”.[2] It is related to attract and traction.[2][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Absorbent, drawing in: the late 14th century in Etymonline,[2] 1540 in the OED, a sense now obsolete.[5] In early medicine it was used of remedies that drew out humours (1547).[5]

Semantic evolution

Drawing bodies to itself by a physical force, as a magnet does, is from 1603.[5] Drawing living beings by influencing them is from 1590,[5] the 1580s in Etymonline for drawing people's eye or interest,[2] and pleasing or alluring from about 1600 (1602 in the OED).[2][5]

Timeline

  • late 14th century – absorbent.[2]
  • 1547 – of medicines, drawing out humours.[5]
  • 1590 – drawing people by influence.[5]
  • 1602 – pleasing, alluring.[5]
  • 1603 – exerting physical attraction.[5]

Modern meaning

Adjective

  1. Pleasant to look at, especially sexually appealing; good-looking.
  2. Pleasing or interesting enough to make people want it: an attractive offer.
  3. Having the power to attract, as by magnetism.

Word family

  • attractively
  • attractiveness
  • superattractive
  • attractive nuisance
  • attract
  • attraction
  • traction
  • tract

References

  1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ a b Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  4. ^ a b c Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Attractive.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/attractive. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·