fetching
adjective

- very attractive, charming

American Heritage Dictionary

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ORIGIN

The adjective fetch stems from the verb "to fetch," meaning to go get something or someone and bring the thing or person back (Go fetch me a cup of coffee). Fetch in turn derives from the Old English feccan, which is apparently a variant of fetian/fatian (to bring near, bring back, obtain, induce).

Fetian is likely from the Proto-Germanic fetan, which has cognates in Old Frisian and Old Norse, as well as the German "fassen," meaning to grasp, touch. Fetian is ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European "ped," the verbal root of walk and foot.

In the late 1600s, fetching evolved as an adjective meaning "crafty, clever." The sense of alluring, fascinating, attractive first appeared in the 1880s.

Fetch is also a noun that refers to a supernatural double or apparition of a living person in Irish folklore. It is similar to the German Doppelgänger and sightings are regarded as omens, usually for impending death.

The origin of the term is unclear, but may stem from the verb fetch in the sense of "fetching" the souls of the dying.

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SYNONYMS

attractive, appealing, adorable, beautiful, sweet, winsome, pretty, lovely, delightful, charming, pleasing, prepossessing, captivating, enchanting, fascinating, enticing; sexy, alluring, seductive, ravishing, desirable, irresistible; INFORMAL: divine, heavenly, tasty, hot, fanciable, easy on the eye, smashing, cute, bonny, foxy

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Practice OWAD in a conversation today, and make someone* a compliment:

"Amanda, that's a FETCHING outfit you're wearing today."

*commonly used only with females.