seemly
Etymology

From Middle English semly, semely, semelich, from Old Norse sœmiligr; equivalent to .

Pronunciation
  • IPA: /ˈsiːmli/
Adjective

seemly (comparative seemlier, superlative seemliest)

  1. (of behavior) Appropriate; suited to the occasion or purpose; becoming.
    His behavior was seemly, as befits a gentleman.
    • 1613 (date written), William Shakespeare, [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act III, scene i]:
      I am a woman, lacking wit / To make a seemly answer to such persons.
    • 1594–1597, Richard Hooker, edited by J[ohn] S[penser], Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, […], London: […] Will[iam] Stansby [for Matthew Lownes], published 1611, →OCLC ↗, (please specify the page):
      Suspense of judgment and exercise of charity were safer and seemlier for Christian men than the hot pursuit of these controversies.
Synonyms Antonyms Translations Adverb

seemly

  1. Appropriately, fittingly.
    • 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto I”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC ↗:
      The great earthes wombe they open to the sky, / And with sad Cypresse seemely it embraue [...].



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