ladylike

[ley-dee-lahyk]

adjective

1. like a lady.

   Synonyms: courteous, well-mannered, well-bred

2. befitting a lady.

   in a ladylike manner.

   Synonyms: courteous, well-mannered, well-bred

ladylike

/ ˈleɪdɪˌlaɪk /

adjective

1. like or befitting a lady in manners and bearing; refined and fastidious

2. derogatory,  (of a man) effeminate

Other Word Forms

• ladylikeness noun
• unladylike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of ladylike¹

First recorded in 1580–90; lady + -like

Example Sentences

Joking aside, she adds, “People were telling me I was weird, that what I was doing wasn’t very ‘ladylike.’”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“The unflappable Pointer sails above the general mayhem with a ladylike aplomb that makes her subsequent emotional epiphany all the more moving,” The Times wrote about Pointer’s performance in that show.

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Female athletes made their debut at the modern Olympics in 1900 but were limited to a few sports deemed suitably ladylike, such as golf and croquet.

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Her mother, Anne, was a stickler for “pure” and ladylike behavior, which cramped Alice’s imagination.

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If Ms. Rush’s portrayals had one thing in common, it was a gentle, ladylike quality, which she put to use in films of many genres.

Read more on New York Times

Related Words

• genteel