seem·ing

[see-ming]
adjective
1.
apparent; appearing, whether truly or falsely, to be as specified: a seeming advantage.
noun
2.
appearance, especially outward or deceptive appearance.

Origin:
1300–50; Middle English semynge; see seem, -ing2, -ing1

seem·ing·ly, adverb
seem·ing·ness, noun


1. ostensible, external, superficial. 2. semblance, face, pretense.
Dictionary.com Unabridged

seem

[seem]
verb (used without object)
1.
to appear to be, feel, do, etc.: She seems better this morning.
2.
to appear to one's own senses, mind, observation, judgment, etc.: It seems to me that someone is calling.
3.
to appear to exist: There seems no need to go now.
4.
to appear to be true, probable, or evident: It seems likely to rain.
5.
to give the outward appearance of being or to pretend to be: He only seems friendly because he wants you to like him.

Origin:
1150–1200; Middle English seme < Old Norse sœma to befit, beseem, derivative of sœmr fitting, seemly; akin to sōmi honor


4. Seem, appear, look refer to an outward aspect that may or may not be contrary to reality. Seem is applied to something that has an aspect of truth and probability: It seems warmer today. Appear suggests the giving of an impression that may be superficial or illusory: The house appears to be deserted. Look more vividly suggests the use of the eye (literally or figuratively) or the aspect as perceived by the eye: She looked very much frightened.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To seeming
00:10
Seeming is always a great word to know.
So is doohickey. Does it mean:
a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal.
a gadget; dingus; thingumbob.
Collins
World English Dictionary
seem (siːm) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
vb
1.  (copula) to appear to the mind or eye; look: this seems nice; the car seems to be running well
2.  to give the impression of existing; appear to be: there seems no need for all this nonsense
3.  used to diminish the force of a following infinitive to be polite, more noncommittal, etc: I can't seem to get through to you
 
[C12: perhaps from Old Norse soma to beseem, from sœmr befitting; related to Old English sēman to reconcile; see same]
 
 
'seemer
 
n

seeming (ˈsiːmɪŋ) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
adj
1.  (prenominal) apparent but not actual or genuine: seeming honesty
 
n
2.  outward or false appearance
 
'seemingness
 
n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

seem
c.1200, from O.N. soema "to befit, conform to," and soemr "fitting, seemly," from P.Gmc. *som- (cf. O.E. som "agreement, reconciliation," seman "to conciliate"), related to P.Gmc. *samon (see same).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
Shareholders will remain wary, while boards try to work out how to be helpful
  without seeming overly chummy.
The third and fourth calls were muted, seeming to come from deep in the rain
  forest as the animal moved away.
Now, however, there's one more reason to listen to the seeming scolds: the
  danger of diabetes.
Presidencies are seeming less and less attractive to academics.
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