primly

American  

[prim-lee] / ˈprɪm li /

adverb

1. in a proper, neat, precise, or fastidious way.

   Today I stand in my navy blue uniform, my feet primly encased in black boots laced neatly over wool socks.

   As we left the restaurant I noticed that most of the other diners were eating their shrimp with knives and forks, primly dissecting each one.

2. (especially of a woman or girl) in a way that is excessively demure or modest.

   Justin and I sat, and she sat across from us, primly holding her knees together and folding her hands on top of them.

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Etymology

Origin of primly

prim ¹ ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

This was no primly patterned minuet, where dancers stood side by side, attention directed to precisely mapping elaborate steps.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 31, 2024

Once upon a time, the copy editorial guild united against “xeroxing” — to many authors’ fury — in favor, primly, of “photocopying.”

From Washington Post • Aug. 11, 2022

"Flowers in the Attic: The Origin" takes it one primly heeled step further: there's no electricity in the house.

From Salon • Jul. 16, 2022

Efforts to banish that in-group, fraternal usage have mainly failed: Those complaints have been readily dismissed as “saddity,” primly classist or schoolmarmish.

From New York Times • Apr. 5, 2022

He stood next to the giant dictionary on its little table, and Mrs. Granger walked to the back of the classroom and sat primly on a tall stool next to the bookcases.

From "Frindle" by Andrew Clements