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Webster 1913 Edition

Seemly

Seem′ly

(sēm′ly̆)
,
Adj.
[
Com
par.
Seemlier
(sēm′lĭ-ẽr)
;
sup
erl.
Seeliest
.]
[Icel.
sæmiligr
, fr.
sæmr
becoming, fit; akin to
samr
same, E.
same
; the sense being properly, the same or like, hence, fitting. See
Seem
,
Verb.
I.
]
Suited to the object, occasion, purpose, or character; suitable; fit; becoming; comely; decorous.
He had a
seemly
nose.
Chaucer.
I am a woman, lacking wit
To make a
seemly
answer to such persons.
Shakespeare
Suspense of judgment and exercise of charity were safer and
seemlier
for Christian men than the hot pursuit of these controversies.
Hooker.
Syn. – Becoming; fit; suitable; proper; appropriate; congruous; meet; decent; decorous.

Seem′ly

(sēm′ly̆)
,
adv.
[
Com
par.
Seemlier
;
sup
erl.
Seemliest
.]
In a decent or suitable manner; becomingly.
Suddenly a men before him stood,
Not rustic as before, but
seemlier
clad,
As one in city or court or place bred.
Milton.

Webster 1828 Edition

Seemly

SEE'MLY

,
Adj.
Becoming; fit; suited to the object, occasion, purpose or character; suitable.
Suspense of judgement and excercise of charity were safer and seemlier for christian men, than the hot pursuit of these controversies. Hooker.
Honor is not seemly for a fool. Prov. 26.

SEE'MLY

,
adv.
In a decent or suitable manner.

Definition 2024

seemly

seemly

English

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.
    • Shakespeare
      I am a woman, lacking wit / To make a seemly answer to such persons.
    • Hooker
      Suspense of judgment and exercise of charity were safer and seemlier for Christian men than the hot pursuit of these controversies.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Derived terms

Translations

Adverb

seemly ‎(comparative more seemly, superlative most seemly)

  1. Appropriately, fittingly.
    • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, II.i:
      The great earthes wombe they open to the sky, / And with sad Cypresse seemely it embraue [...].

Etymology

From Middle English semely, semelich, semelike, from Old Norse sœmiligr ‎(“seemly”), equivalent to seem +‎ -ly. Cognate with Icelandic sæmilegur ‎(“seemly, passable”), Danish sømmelig ‎(“seemly”).

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