Wiktionary

lovely

See also: Lovely

EnglishEdit

 
English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

PronunciationEdit

  • enPR: lŭv′lē, IPA(key): /ˈlʌvli/
  • Audio (US)(file)

Etymology 1Edit

From Middle English lovely, luvelich, lufli, from Old English luflīċ, luflīc (“amiable, loving, lovable”), equivalent to love +‎ -ly.

AdjectiveEdit

lovely (comparative lovelier, superlative loveliest)

  1. Beautiful; charming; very pleasing in form, looks, tone, or manner.
    It's a lovely day and the sun is shining.
    The music box plays a lovely melody.
    The castle garden enchants visitors with its lovely blooms.
    • 1915, Herman Cyril McNeile, The Lieutenant and Others
      His pink coat was lovely
    • 1923, Robert Frost, "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" in New Hampshire:
      The woods are lovely, dark and deep …
    • 1977, Skip Scarborough & Bill Withers (lyrics and music), “Lovely Day”, performed by Bill Withers:
      Then I look at you / And the world's alright with me / Just one look at you / And I know it's gonna be / A lovely day
  2. Very nice, wonderful.
    It would be lovely to have a little more money to spend.
  3. (obsolete) Inspiring love or friendship; amiable.
  4. (obsolete) Loving, filled with love.
SynonymsEdit
Derived termsEdit
Related termsEdit
TranslationsEdit
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked

NounEdit

lovely (plural lovelies)

  1. (informal) An attractive, lovely person, especially a (professional) beauty.
    Synonyms: pretty, darling
    a calendar depicting young lovelies in bikinis
  2. Term of fond address.
    Goodbye, my lovely.
    • 1969, Peter Sarstedt (lyrics and music), “Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)?”:
      But where do you go to my lovely / When you're alone in your bed?
  3. A lovely object.
    • 2011, Theodora Floros, What'S for Lunch?: A Cooking Guide for Parents, →ISBN, page 13:
      In Montréal, the summer months bring in a huge variety of fruits and vegetables and this is the time to preserve them. Preserving can also refer to the storage of these fiber and vitamin rich lovelies.
    • 2015, Marlys Millhiser, The Mirror, →ISBN:
      May Bell ironed the last ruffle and then hung the dress in the wardrobe next to her other lovelies.
TranslationsEdit

Etymology 2Edit

From Middle English lovely, luveliche, from Old English luflīċe (“lovingly, amiably, kindly, dearly, with good will or love, willingly”), equivalent to love +‎ -ly.

AdverbEdit

lovely (comparative more lovely, superlative most lovely)

  1. (informal) In a lovely fashion or manner; beautifully.
    • 2014, Neil Bartlett, chapter 18, in The Disappearance Boy‎[1], A&C Black:
      She's not everyone's cup of tea, what with the way she speaks her mind and doesn't always do her hair in the morning, but she scrubs up lovely.

Etymology 3Edit

From Middle English lofly, lovely (“praiseworthy; laudatory”), equivalent to lofe +‎ -ly. Cognate with Dutch loffelijk (“laudable, praiseworthy”), German löblich (“commendable, laudable, praiseworthy”), Swedish lovlig (“permissible”). More at lofe, love.

AdjectiveEdit

lovely (comparative lovelier or more lovely, superlative loveliest or most lovely)

  1. (archaic) Worthy of praise.
    • 1773, Thomas Boston (the Elder.), Alexander Colden, The Whole Works of the late reverend and learned Mr. Thomas Boston, Minister of the Gospel at Etterick:
      And so he is in the eyes of all who live to his praise. To them every attribute of God is lovely. The holiness and purity of his nature is most lovely to them.
    • 1807, Erasmus Middleton, Evangelical biography:
      He is altogether lovely. O, all our praises of him are poor and low things!
    • 1823, Church of England, Llyfr gweddi gyffredin:
      О praise the Lord, for the Lord is gracious : О sing praises unto his Name, for it is lovely.
    • 1834, David Dickson, A Brief Explication of the Psalms - Volume 1, page 39:
      It is the duty of all believers to join themselves cheerfully in the setting forth the Lord's care over them, and whatsoever may make his lovely Majesty known to the world: for so he requireth the present precept and example, -- sing praises to the Lord.
    • 1876, John Vaughan, Trinity hymns for the worship of the three-one Jehovah in faith & love:
      My precious Saviour's matchless name ; He's wise and holy, just and true, And altogether lovely too.

AnagramsEdit

Middle EnglishEdit

Etymology 1Edit

Inherited from Old English luflīċ; equivalent to loven (“to love”) +‎ -ly (adjectival suffix).

Alternative formsEdit

PronunciationEdit

  • IPA(key): /ˈluv(ə)liː/, /ˈluv(ə)litʃ/

AdjectiveEdit

lovely

  1. Friendly, affectionate, loving (providing love)
    Synonyms: lovable, lovesom
  2. Lustful, passionate; romantically or sexually charged.
  3. Lovely, attractive, pleasing.
    Synonym: lovesom
Derived termsEdit
DescendantsEdit
  • English: lovely
  • Scots: luely
ReferencesEdit

Etymology 2Edit

Inherited from Old English luflīċe; equivalent to loven (“to love”) +‎ -ly (adverbial suffix).

Alternative formsEdit

PronunciationEdit

  • IPA(key): /ˈluv(ə)liː/, /ˈluv(ə)litʃ(ə)/

AdverbEdit

lovely

  1. Nicely, affectionately, lovingly (in a loving way)
    Synonym: lovelyly
  2. Eagerly, fondly, enthusiastically; with great passion.
  3. Lustfully, passionately; in a romantically or sexually charged way.
  4. Wonderfully, marvelously, amazingly.
  5. (rare) Courteously; in a well-mannered way.
DescendantsEdit
ReferencesEdit

Etymology 3Edit

AdjectiveEdit

lovely

  1. Alternative form of lofly
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