comely
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comely¹
- /ˈkʌmli/ US, UK
Rhymes with -ʌmli
Where it comes from
The adjective is derived from Middle English comly, comli, cumly, cumlich (“of a person: beautiful, handsome, etc.; of noble birth, bearing, or character; of behaviour: appropriate, becoming; of an event: convenient; favourable; of a thing: beautiful, wonderful; fitting, proper”), from Old English cymlīċ, cȳmlīċ (“beautiful, comely; splendid; convenient”), from cȳme (“beautiful, comely; splendid; exquisite, fine”) + -līċ (suffix meaning ‘like; relating to’ forming adjectives). Cȳme is derived from Proto-Germanic *kūmiz (“delicate; feeble”), from *kūmalīkaz (“dear; pitiful”), probably related to *kūmaz, *kūmijaz (“pitiful; frail, weak”), from Proto-Indo-European *gewH- (“to call, name; to call on, invoke; to cry, cry out”). The word was influenced by come (verb).
The verb is derived from the adjective.
Cognates
Middle Dutch komelick, komlick
Middle High German gomelīh, komelīh
adjective comelier · more comely · comeliest · most comely · comly · cumlie
- Of a person: attractive or pleasing to look at; beautiful, handsome; also, attractive but not particularly beautiful or handsome. a comely woman
- Of a person, an action, behaviour, etc.: meeting accepted moral or social norms; appropriate, becoming, proper. Doth any contumely vvhich vvee ſuſtaine for religions ſake pierce ſo deeply as […] vvhen they […] trample vnder foote almoſt vvhatſoeuer either vvee or the vvhole Church of God by the ſpace of ſo many ages haue beene accuſtomed vnto for the comlier and better exerciſe of our religion according to th
- Of a thing: beautiful, elegant, well-composed; also, delicate, fine. In ſhootinge at the prickes, haſtye and quicke drawinge is neyther ſure nor yet comely.
- Pleasing to the feelings or senses; agreeable, nice, pleasant. Oh hovv comely it is and hovv reviving / To the Spirits of juſt men long oppreſt! / VVhen God into the hands of thir deliverer / Puts invincible might
verb comelies · comelying · comelied
- To embellish or grace (something). One diligent seruiture, skilfull to waight, / more comelieth thy table than other some eight, / That stand for to listen, or gasing about, / not minding their dutie, within nor without.
comely²
- /ˈkʌmli/ US, UK
Rhymes with -ʌmli
Where it comes from
From Middle English comli, cumly, cumeliche (“beautifully, handsomely; gracefully; splendidly; fittingly, properly; well”), from Old English cȳme (adjective) (see etymology 1) + Middle English -li (suffix forming adverbs).
adverb more comely · most comely
- Synonym of comelily (“in a comely manner: in an attractive or pleasing manner; in a manner which meets accepted moral or social norms”). So ſlides he dovvne vppon his greyned bat [i.e., a walking stick]; / And comely diſtant ſits he by her ſide, […]
