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Added 9 October 2026

comely

/ˈkʌmli/ adjective

In Latin: venustus Wiktionary

adjective Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about comely at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

According with custom or propriety.
her becoming modesty
Very pleasing to the eye.
my bonny lass

Origin

The adjective is derived from Middle English comly, comli, cumly, cumlich (“of a person: beautiful, handsome, etc.; of noble birth, bearing, or character; of behaviour: appropriate, becoming; of an event: convenient; favourable; of a thing: beautiful, wonderful; fitting, proper”), from Old English cymlīċ, cȳmlīċ (“beautiful, comely; splendid; convenient”), from cȳme (“beautiful, comely; splendid; exquisite, fine”) + -līċ (suffix meaning ‘like; relating to’ forming adjectives).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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