homely

[ hohm-lee ]

adjective

, home·li·er, home·li·est.

1. lacking in physical attractiveness; not beautiful; unattractive:

   a homely child.

2. not having elegance, refinement, or cultivation.
3. proper or suited to the home or to ordinary domestic life; plain; unpretentious:

   homely food.

4. commonly seen or known.

homely

/ ˈhəʊmlɪ /

adjective

1. characteristic of or suited to the ordinary home; unpretentious
2. of a person
   1. warm and domesticated in manner or appearance
   2. plain or ugly

Derived Forms

• ˈhomeliness, noun

Other Words From

• homeli·ness noun
• over·homeli·ness noun
• over·homely adjective
• un·homeli·ness noun
• un·homely adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of homely¹

First recorded in 1300–50, homely is from the Middle English word homly. See home, -ly

Synonym Study

Simple, homely ( homey ), homelike, plain imply absence of adornment or embellishment. Something that is simple is not elaborate or complex: a simple kind of dress. In the United States, homely usually suggests absence of natural beauty: an unattractive person almost homely enough to be called ugly. In England, the word suggests a wholesome simplicity without artificial refinement or elegance; since it characterizes that which is comfortable and attractive, it is equivalent to homey : a homely cottage. Homelike also emphasizes comfort and attractiveness, but it conveys less strongly than does homey a sense of intimate security: a homelike interior, arrangement, atmosphere. Something that is plain has little or no adornment: expensive but plain clothing.

Example Sentences

The homely original 1999 Honda Insight hybrid-electric is the appearance they sought to avoid.

From Popular-Science

The Ugly Duckling, by Martha StewartI recently helped a homely little bird transform herself into a beautiful swan.

From Washington Post

I resolve to only go out with plain or even rather homely girls.

From The Daily Beast

Up From Slavery is a book written in a direct style, using a simple vocabulary and homely humor.

From The Daily Beast

Others this season stood by their affection for homely beauty and baroque extravagance.

From The Daily Beast

When she had a makeover in August 2009, those who fell in love with the homely homebody almost had a collective breakdown.

From The Daily Beast

"Men who are viewed as being below average or homely are penalized" when it comes to wages.

From The Daily Beast

She was a homely woman, with a small weazened face and body and eyes that glowed.

From Project Gutenberg

Even Tim, so fine and big, had in this homely, lanky man a rival well worth watching.

From Project Gutenberg

She felt very sorrowful as she smoothed the homely garments, and placed them in a small leathern trunk.

From Project Gutenberg

The homely but substantial dinner was smoking on the table, and Joe's wife was already in her place at the head of the board.

From Project Gutenberg

Keep her there; for nature plainly intended her for a homely woman—Didst ever quarrel with her before marriage?

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• plain