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View synonyms for seemly

seemly

[ seem-lee ]

adjective

, seem·li·er, seem·li·est.
  1. fitting or becoming with respect to propriety or good taste; decent; decorous:

    Your outburst of rage was hardly seemly.

    Synonyms: meet, appropriate, proper, right

  2. suitable or appropriate; fitting:

    a seemly gesture.

    Synonyms: meet, appropriate, proper, right

  3. of pleasing appearance; handsome.


adverb

  1. in a seemly manner; fittingly; becomingly.

seemly

/ ˈsiːmlɪ /

adjective

  1. proper or fitting
  2. obsolete.
    pleasing or handsome in appearance


adverb

  1. archaic.
    properly or decorously

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Derived Forms

  • ˈseemliness, noun

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Other Words From

  • seemli·ness noun

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Word History and Origins

Origin of seemly1

1175–1225; Middle English semely < Old Norse sæmiligr honorable; derivative of sœmr ( seem )

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Word History and Origins

Origin of seemly1

C13: from Old Norse sœomiligr, from sœmr befitting

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Example Sentences

But when she reached the courtyard she was surprised to find they had not paused, as surely would have been seemly.

The thick white hair was arranged in seemly order, and his hands lay upon the coverlet as if he had finished something.

She had only put a little powder on her hair and drawn its curling richness into a seemly knot.

Thou hast already made of thyself a more seemly looking maid; still better things may come ere long.

But this particular difference of view was a delicate matter, not seemly for a daughter to mention.

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seeminglyseen