Pretty

No idea. I used to know what all those words, and many others meant. I now realize my ignorance.

Pretty I believe just means above average in appearance but not in a striking more universal way which would describe beautiful, a word more generally applied to females than males, or to describe an object or animal ( e.g. a butterfly, sunset, flower). It can also be an understated way of describing beauty whether physical or non-physical.

Handsome is the male equivalent of beautiful and more commonly relevant to males than females but can also pertain to more business-like objects and concepts (a handsome salary, a handsome briefcase 💼, a handsome pair of dress shoes) or a female who is good-looking but in a more masculine/authoritative way.

Beautiful can also describe a male who embodies and radiates both inner and outer beauty, not necessarily in a feminine way but in a way that can appear multi-dimensional to the observer. It can also refer to children, babies, puppies in a similarly generalized, unisex manner.

Pretty however can also apply to attractive males with more girlish delicate facial structures.

It also can just depend on one's perception.

Thanks!

You're welcome.

The preponderance of pulchritude.

There are times Roger, when you just brighten up my day.

Amen to that, GB. I was thinking of replacing my tagline with this one, also attributed anonymously

Gotta love old Rog...

He was pretty ugly.

Don't keep me from being loveable!

I don't think it's down to me.