# Prestante



## Johnmango

One definition of "Prestante" in the dictionary is "good-looking".

When I talked to my Italian friend, she said one doesn't use "prestante" for "good-looking". One says "attrente", "di bel aspetto" etc. 

Is "prestante" used as "good looking" only in certain parts of Italy? or only in written text"? does anyone know? Thanks!


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## Necsus

Hmm... in my opinion there is a subtle difference: _prestante_ means _good-looking_ and _vigorous_, while _attraente_ means _good-looking_ and _charming._


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## ToscanoNYC

And, please correct me if I am wrong, "prestante" tends to be used more when referring to men rather than women.  Or is it just my impression?


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## pask46

Is almost exclusively for men.
It's like "handsome", in English... you wouldn't use it to describe an attractive woman, would you?


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## Necsus

Well, obviously _vigorous_ is not indeed a compliment, if you address it to a woman...


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## beccamutt

Could "prestante" be described as "rugged good looks"?


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## miri

I don't think so, Beccamutt. It is more like "well-built".


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## Tristano

Johnmango said:


> One definition of "Prestante" in the dictionary is "good-looking".
> 
> When I talked to my Italian friend, she said one doesn't use "prestante" for "good-looking". One says "attrente", "di bel aspetto" etc.
> 
> Is "prestante" used as "good looking" only in certain parts of Italy? or only in written text"? does anyone know? Thanks!



I think the spelling is "attraente" and "di bell'aspetto"

Natives?

Tristano


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## SuperGaara

Tristano said:


> I think the spelling is "attraente"  and "di bell'aspetto"


 
You're right 

But the word "prestante" makes me think of a muscular person who may be also good-looking


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## l'isoladeltesoro

Basicly I think "prestante" means "well built" even if this means mostly "good looking", and definetely it's addressed to men..


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## miri

Yes, SuperGaara, what Necsus and I said: vigorous, well-buit, you can add athletic, but definitely good-looking.

EDIT: scusa l'soladeltesoro! Non avevo visto il tuo post!


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## Johnmango

If "prestante" is more like well built, does it resemble the term "  bel tenebroso"? "di bel physico"?


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## miri

"Bel tenebroso" is a man with dark good looks, who has got something mysterious about him, so it is different, John


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## Johnmango

Well, how about "Prestante" = "hunky"?


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## miri

Yes, John! That's a good equivalent!


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## Necsus

Johnmango said:


> Well, how about "Prestante" = "hunky"?


Yes, also Hazon agreed : 
*hunky* - _agg._ (_fam._)
*1* buono, in buone condizioni
*2* (_sl. amer._) prestante e atletico.

But it also says:
*hunky - *_s._ (_fam. amer._) ungherese (termine spregiativo per immigrati dall'Europa centro-orientale).


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## l'isoladeltesoro

Necsus said:


> Yes, also Hazon agreed :
> *hunky* - _agg._ (_fam._)
> *1* buono, in buone condizioni
> *2* (_sl. amer._) prestante e atletico.
> 
> But it also says:
> *hunky - *_s._ (_fam. amer._) ungherese (termine spregiativo per immigrati dall'Europa centro-orientale).


 
Oh my God!!!!
So, now I don't think I'm going to use it...


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## miri

Well, I guess you should always consider the context, both linguistic and situational. I guess there are lots of words which have different meanings.
One should think how to use them properly, without ruling them out.
If you  described an African American man as hunky, there would be no misunderstanding (stupid example, but I am sure you can find better ones!)


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## You little ripper!

Encarta says that *hunky* as an offensive term for a laborer or other worker of eastern European origins is dated slang (early 20th century). I've never heard the word used that way. I'd be interested to know if anyone else has.


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## miri

And then it escaped me that "hunky" in that acceptation is a noun. So you'd say "that man is *a* hunky", wouldn't you, Charles?


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## You little ripper!

miri said:


> And then it escaped me that "hunky" in that acceptation is a noun. So you'd say "that man is *a* hunky", wouldn't you, Charles?


You would say, "That man is a hunk" or "That man is hunky". 

man is hunky

man is a hunk


But you haven't yet seen a photograph of me, miri!!!


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## miri

Ah ah! Now you make me curious ! Is there any chance I can see one !  I'd love to!

Getting down to business , if you said "that man is *a* hunky" would it *only* mean he is of Eastern European origins?


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## quita

To me _prestante_ is more about being well-built than good looking. A _uomo prestante_ has _prestanza_, the physical ability to perform challenging tasks. 
It's to be said that etymologically the meaning is "being above the others in goodness, power, virtue; otherwise excellent, considerable, unique".
Unfortunately I can't think of any equivalent english word.


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## You little ripper!

miri said:


> Ah ah! Now you make me curious ! Is there a chance I can see one ! I'd love to!
> 
> Getting down to business , if you said "that man is *a* hunky" would it *only* mean he is of Eastern European origins?


I had to look the word up again because I've never heard it used that way. *Hunky* (Eastern European) is a noun, so yes, you're right!


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## miri

quita said:


> To me _prestante_ is more about being well-built than good looking. A _uomo prestante_ has _prestanza_, the physical ability to perform challenging tasks.
> It's to be said that etymologically the meaning is "being above the others in goodness, power, virtue; otherwise excellent, considerable, unique".
> Unfortunately I can't think of any equivalent english word.



Hi again Quita!
The meaning coming from its etymology is  obsolete/dated according to DE Mauro dictionary: 1 agg. CO che ha aspetto fisico armonioso e robusto: _un giovane p._ 
2 agg. *OB* che primeggia, eccellente, anche al superlativo come epiteto d’onore


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## miri

Charles Costante said:


> I had to look the word up again because I've never heard it used that way. *Hunky* (Eastern European) is a noun, so yes, you're right!



Thank you very much, Charles!


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## quita

miri said:


> Hi again Quita!
> The meaning coming from its etymology is  obsolete/dated according to DE Mauro dictionary: 1 agg. CO che ha aspetto fisico armonioso e robusto: _un giovane p._
> 2 agg. *OB* che primeggia, eccellente, anche al superlativo come epiteto d’onore



I know Miri, in fact my personal perception of the meaning is nearer to _che ha aspetto fisico armonioso e robusto_ than to _che primeggia etc._

I wanted to point out the etymology since I think that it is usually helpful when trying to build "a profile" of a word. It shows that originally it did not have an aesthetic acceptation, it came only with the time.
EDIT: that's why you talk about _prestanza fisica_ referring to athletes, so if a sportman is _prestante, _he's performing_/performante._


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## You little ripper!

Corrriere della Sera dictionary also uses the word *sturdy* to translate *prestante.* 


agg.m./f.
(aitante) fine, good-looking, well-set, sturdy.


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## miri

You are right, Quita
As Charles's findings confirm,though, I think we can now be pretty sure that "prestante" means *both* "sturdy" *and* "good-looking".


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## quita

miri said:


> You are right, Quita
> As Charles's findings confirm,though, I think we can now be pretty sure that "prestante" means *both* "sturdy" *and* "good-looking".



Yes I think we can
So... just to make it more visual: here's what I think _prestante_ is.


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## miri

Awaiting for Charles's snap, we can be content with that!


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## You little ripper!

miri said:


> Awaiting for Charles's snap, we can be content with that!


Just to give you an even better idea of what a* hunk* looks like, this is a picture of me as "hunk of the day" on the 20th May, 2007. 

Hunk of the day


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