Word Study
seemly
CIDE DICTIONARY
seemly, a. [Icel. s, fr. s becoming, fit; akin to samr same, E. same; the sense being properly, the same or like, hence, fitting. See Seem, v. i. ].
Suited to the object, occasion, purpose, or character; suitable; fit; becoming; comely; decorous. [1913 Webster]
"He had a seemly nose." [1913 Webster]
"I am a woman, lacking wit
To make a seemly answer to such persons." [1913 Webster]
To make a seemly answer to such persons." [1913 Webster]
"Suspense of judgment and exercise of charity were safer and seemlier for Christian men than the hot pursuit of these controversies." [1913 Webster]
Syn. -- Becoming; fit; suitable; proper; appropriate; congruous; meet; decent; decorous.
seemly, adv.
In a decent or suitable manner; becomingly. [1913 Webster]
"Suddenly a men before him stood,
Not rustic as before, but seemlier clad,
As one in city or court or place bred." [1913 Webster]
Not rustic as before, but seemlier clad,
As one in city or court or place bred." [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
seemly, adj. (seemlier, seemliest) conforming to propriety or good taste; decorous, suitable.
Derivative
seemliness n.
Etymology
ME f. ON soemiligr (as SEEM)
THESAURUS
seemly
accepted, according to Hoyle, acknowledged, admitted, advantageous, advisable, apposite, appropriate, approved, apropos, apt, becoming, befitting, being done, characteristic, civil, comely, comme il faut, compatible, condign, conformable, conforming, congenial, congruous, consistent, consonant, convenient, conventional, correct, customary, de rigueur, decent, decorous, delicate, desirable, dignified, diplomatic, discreet, due, elegant, expedient, favorable, feasible, felicitous, fit, fitten, fitting, formal, fructuous, genteel, gentlemanly, good, happy, inspired, just, kosher, ladylike, likely, meet, modest, nice, normal, normative, opportune, orthodox, pleasing, politic, profitable, proper, prudent, reasonable, received, recognized, recommendable, right, right and proper, righteous, rightful, seasonable, sensible, sortable, suitable, suited, timely, to be desired, traditional, urbane, useful, well-chosen, well-expressed, well-put, well-timed, wise, worthwhileROGET THESAURUS
seemly
Expedience
N expedience, expediency, desirableness, desirability, fitness, utility, propriety, opportunism, advantage, high time, expedient, desirable, advisable, acceptable, convenient, worth while, meet, fit, fitting, due, proper, eligible, seemly, becoming, befitting, opportune, in loco, suitable, applicable, in the right place, conveniently, operae pretium est.Beauty
N beauty, the beautiful, to kalon, le beau ideal, aesthetics, callaesthetics, pulchritude, form, elegance, grace, beauty unadorned, natural beauty, symmetry, comeliness, fairness, polish, gloss, good effect, good looks, belle tournure, trigness, bloom, brilliancy, radiance, splendor, gorgeousness, magnificence, sublimity, sublimification, concinnity, delicacy, refinement, charm, je ne sais quoi, style, Venus, Aphrodite, Hebe, the Graces, Peri, Houri, Cupid, Apollo, Hyperion, Adonis, Antionous, Narcissus, peacock, butterfly, garden, flower of, pink of, bijou, jewel, work of art, flower, flow'ret gay, wildflower, rose, lily, anemone, asphodel, buttercup, crane's bill, daffodil, tulip, tiger lily, day lily, begonia, marigold, geranium, lily of the valley, ranunculus, rhododendron, windflower, pleasurableness, beautifying, landscaping, landscape gardening, decoration, calisthenics, beauty, hunk (of men), beautiful, beauteous, handsome, gorgeous, pretty, lovely, graceful, elegant, prepossessing, attractive, delicate, dainty, refined, fair, personable, comely, seemly, bonny, good-looking, well-favored, well-made, well-formed, well- proportioned, proper, shapely, symmetrical, harmonious, sightly, fit to be seen, passable, not amiss, goodly, dapper, tight, jimp, gimp, janty, jaunty, trig, natty, quaint, trim, tidy, neat, spruce, smart, tricksy, bright, bright eyed, rosy cheeked, cherry cheeked, rosy, ruddy, blooming, in full bloom, brilliant, shining, beamy, beaming, sparkling, splendid, resplendent, dazzling, glowing, glossy, sleek, rich, superb, magnificent, grand, fine, sublime, showy, specious, artistic, artistical, aesthetic, picturesque, pictorial, fait a peindre, well-composed, well grouped, well varied, curious, enchanting becoming, ornamental, undeformed, undefaced, unspotted, spotless, auxilium non leve vultus habet, beauty born of murmuring sound, flowers preach to us if we will hear, gratior ac pulchro veniens in corpore virtus, none but the brave deserve the fair, thou who hast the fatal gift of beauty.Dueness
N due, dueness, right, privilege, prerogative, prescription, title, claim, pretension, demand, birthright, immunity, license, liberty, franchise, vested interest, vested right, sanction, authority, warranty, charter, warrant, constitution, tenure, bond, claimant, appellant, plaintiff, having a right to, entitled to, claiming, deserving, meriting, worthy of, privileged, allowed, sanctioned, warranted, authorized, ordained, prescribed, constitutional, chartered, enfranchised, prescriptive, presumptive, absolute, indefeasible, unalienable, inalienable, imprescriptible, inviolable, unimpeachable, unchallenged, sacrosanct, due to, merited, deserved, condign, richly deserved, allowable, lawful, licit, legitimate, legal, legalized, square, unexceptionable, right, equitable, due, en r gle, fit, fitting, correct, proper, meet, befitting, becoming, seemly, decorous, creditable, up to the mark, right as a trivet, just the thing, quite the thing, selon les r gles, duly, ex officio, de jure, by right, by divine right, jure divino, Dei gratia, in the name of, civis Romanus sum, +a chaque saint sa chandelle.For further exploring for "seemly" in Webster Dictionary Online
