beau
UK[bəʊ]US[boʊ]
n
A woman's male lover or sweetheart.
n
A man who is overly concerned with his dress and appearance; a dandy.
Etymology
The word 'beau' entered English in the late 17th century, directly borrowed from the French word 'beau', meaning 'handsome' or 'fine'. This French term itself descends from the Latin adjective 'bellus', meaning 'pretty, charming, handsome'. The Latin 'bellus' is a diminutive form of an earlier Latin word 'bonus', meaning 'good'. Thus, the etymological journey traces a path from the fundamental concept of 'goodness' (bonus) to a more specific aesthetic quality of 'prettiness' (bellus), and finally to its adoption in English as a noun denoting a fashionable admirer or a man of elegant appearance.
Analysis
The word is a simplex loanword from French. It cannot be meaningfully segmented into productive morphemes within modern English spelling.
Examples
He was once considered the most eligible beau in high society.
She brought her new beau to the family dinner.
The 18th-century painting depicted a foppish beau adjusting his cravat.