comely

C2+ Topic:People & Society

US /ˈkʌmli/ UK /ˈkʌmli/ See IPA manual

adj

Meanings

1

adj
(of a person) pleasant to look at; attractive

The portrait showed a comely young woman in a blue dress.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · (of a person) pleasant to... attractive handsome fair lovely pretty good-looking

Opposites

ugly unattractive homely plain

Word family

Forms uncomely

Derived forms comelinesscomelily

Related forms become becoming

Etymology

From Middle English comeli, probably from Old English cymlic ('lovely, splendid'), from cyme ('delicate, fine, exquisite'), later associated with become ('to suit, befit').

cymlic Old English

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Topics

People & Society Word Formation & Derivatives

# comely

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** ˈkʌmli
**IPA (UK):** ˈkʌmli

## Meanings
1. (of a person) pleasant to look at; attractive

## Examples
- The portrait showed a comely young woman in a blue dress.

## Synonyms
- attractive
- handsome
- fair
- lovely
- pretty
- good-looking

## Antonyms
- ugly
- unattractive
- homely
- plain

## Derived Forms
- comeliness
- comelily

## Related Forms
- become
- becoming

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: cymlic

## Etymology
From Middle English comeli, probably from Old English cymlic ('lovely, splendid'), from cyme ('delicate, fine, exquisite'), later associated with become ('to suit, befit').

## AI Etymology
Comely comes from Middle English comeli, probably from Old English cymlic ('lovely, splendid'), from cyme ('delicate, fine, exquisite'), later associated with become ('to suit, befit'). The historical trail runs through Old English cymlic. In modern use it means (of a person) pleasant to look at; attractive. Derived formations include comeliness, comelily; related forms include become, becoming.

## Topics
- People & Society
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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