primly
Americanadverb
-
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.
-
(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.
Etymology
Origin of primly
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The buxom stall-owner lifts a furry, giant hare, its dead eyes glazed, as a primly dressed female customer offers coins in payment.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
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
They were all sitting there primly dressed in their spring Sunday best.
From "Bridge to Terabithia" by Katherine Paterson
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
