seemly

[ seem-lee ]

/ ˈsim li /

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adjective, seem·li·er, seem·li·est.

fitting or becoming with respect to propriety or good taste; decent; decorous: Your outburst of rage was hardly seemly.

suitable or appropriate; fitting: a seemly gesture.

of pleasing appearance; handsome.

adverb

in a seemly manner; fittingly; becomingly.

Nearby words

seely, seem, seemer, seeming, seemingly, seemly, seen, seen better days, have, seen one, seen them all, seep, seepage

Origin of seemly

1175–1225; Middle English semely < Old Norse sæmiligr honorable; derivative of sœmr (see seem)

SYNONYMS FOR seemly

1, 2 right, proper, appropriate, meet.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR seemly ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

seem·li·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for seemly

It was not seemly that the lama, and incidentally himself, should be thrown aside for such an one.
Kim|Rudyard Kipling
No church sentiments, no feeling for what is seemly and in order—there has been no resident on the estates for so many years.
The Days of My Life|Mrs. Oliphant
It was not seemly for them to be idling in the drawing-rooms.
Halcyone|Elinor Glyn
From this ensample we may learn that it is not seemly to love, and tell.
French Mediaeval Romances from the Lays of Marie de France|Marie de France

Ignore his claims as she would, Mrs. Ryle felt it would not be seemly to discuss before him Treve's chance of succession.
Trevlyn Hold|Mrs. Henry Wood

British Dictionary definitions for seemly

seemly

/ (ˈsiːmlɪ) /

adjective -lier or -liest

proper or fitting

obsolete pleasing or handsome in appearance

adverb

archaic properly or decorously

Derived Forms

seemliness, noun

Word Origin for seemly

C13: from Old Norse sœomiligr, from sœmr befitting

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012