• enPR: lŭv′lē, IPA: /ˈlʌv.li/

From Middle English lovely, luvelich, lufli, from Old English luflīċ, luflīc, equivalent to .

lovely (comparative lovelier, superlative loveliest)

1. Beautiful; charming; very pleasing in form, looks, tone, or manner.

   It's a lovely day and the sun is shining.

   The music box plays a lovely melody.

   The castle garden enchants visitors with its lovely blooms.

   • 1915, Herman Cyril McNeile, The Lieutenant and Others:

     His pink coat was lovely

   • 1923 October, Robert Frost, “[Grace Notes.] Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.”, in New Hampshire […], New York, N.Y.: Henry Holt and Company, →OCLC ↗, page 87 ↗:

     The woods are lovely, dark and deep.

2. Very nice, wonderful.

   It would be lovely to have a little more money to spend.

3. (obsolete) Inspiring love or friendship; amiable.
   • c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “A Midsommer Nights Dreame”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act I, scene ii]:

     a most lovely gentlemanlike man

4. (obsolete) Loving, filled with love.
   • c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act III, scene ii]:

     seal the title with a lovely kiss

• beautiful
• charming
• lovable
• lovesome
• loving
• See also Thesaurus:beautiful

• loverly
• lovingly

• German: lieblich, liebreizend, herrlich, schön
• Italian: bello, magnifico
• Portuguese: adorável, amável, querido
• Russian: восхитительный

• French: magnifique
• German: herrlich, schön
• Italian: stupendo
• Portuguese: adorável, amável, querido
• Russian: восхитительный

lovely (plural lovelies)

1. (informal) An attractive, lovely person, especially a (professional) beauty.

   Synonyms: pretty, darling

   a calendar depicting young lovelies in bikinis

2. Term of fond address.

   Goodbye, my lovely.

3. A lovely object.

• Spanish: hermoso

From Middle English lovely, luveliche, from Old English luflīċe, equivalent to love + -ly.

lovely

1. (informal) In a lovely fashion or manner; beautifully.

From Middle English lofly, lovely, equivalent to lofe + -ly.

lovely (comparative lovelier, superlative loveliest)

1. (archaic) Worthy of praise.

From lovely.

1. Surname.
2. An unincorporated community in Martin County, Kentucky.