lovely

[luhv-lee]

adjective

lovelier, loveliest 

1. charmingly or exquisitely beautiful.

   a lovely flower.

2. having a beauty that appeals to the heart or mind as well as to the eye, as a person or a face.

3. delightful; highly pleasing.

   to have a lovely time.

4. of a great moral or spiritual beauty.

   a lovely character.

noun

plural

lovelies 

1. Informal.,  a beautiful woman, especially a show girl.

2. any person or thing that is pleasing, highly satisfying, or the like.

   Every car in the new line is a lovely.

adverb

1. Nonstandard.,  very well; splendidly.

lovely

/ ˈlʌvlɪ /

adjective

1. very attractive or beautiful

2. highly pleasing or enjoyable

   a lovely time

3. loving and attentive

4. inspiring love; lovable

noun

1. slang,  a lovely woman

Other Word Forms

• lovelily adverb
• loveliness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of lovely¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English luvelich, Old English luflīc “amiable”; love + -ly

Example Sentences

"There was one message I saw on the donations the other day which said 'thank you Alan for reminding us what to be a human is all about'. Which I thought was lovely," she said.

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"He was a lovely kid. He started playing and he turned out to be one of the most fantastic entertainers," he said.

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It may sound funny, but it’s all lovely in its way.

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"It was lovely to be welcomed back by those with whom I had worked for so long. It was just like coming home."

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"She will always be part of the history in our first Champions League game at Old Trafford. She deserves that romantic part, because that's lovely."

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Related Words

• alluring 
• beautiful 
• captivating 
• charming 
• delicate 
• delicious 
• delightful 
• enchanting 
• engaging 
• exquisite 
• gorgeous 
• graceful 
• handsome 
• pleasant 
• pleasing 
• pretty 
• splendid 
• stunning 
• sweet 

When To Use

What are other ways to say lovely?

The adjective lovely describes people or things that are charmingly or exquisitely beautiful. How is it different from beautiful, handsome, and pretty? Learn more on Thesaurus.com.