semly

Middle English

Alternative forms

• cemely, seemelich, seemly, sembli, sembly, semblych, semele, semelich, semeliche, semely, semle, semli, semlich, semliche, semlik, semlye, semmeli, semyly, symly

Etymology

Either borrowed from or a calque of Old Norse sœmiligr (“seemly”); equivalent to semen (“to seem”) +‎ -ly (adjectival suffix).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsɛːm(i)liː/, /ˈsɛm(b)liː/, /-lit͡ʃ/, /-lik/

Adjective

semly

1. Attractive, beautiful; aesthetically appealing.
2. Right, appropriate, suited; good for a purpose.
3. Seemly, becoming; following acceptable behaviour.

   Synonym: curteis

4. Noble, valorous, good; having good morals.
5. Likely; having a good chance of happening.
6. (rare) Ostensible, surface-level.

Derived terms

• semlyhede
• semlynesse

Descendants

• English: seemly
• Scots: seemly

Adverb

semly

1. Attractively, beautifully; in a aesthetically appealing way.
2. Adeptly, suitably, right; in the right or best way.
3. Gracefully, becomingly; in a nice or courteous way.

   Synonym: curteisly

4. Nobly, reverently, respectfully; in a noble way.

Descendants

• English: seemly

References

• “sẹ̄melī, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
• “sẹ̄melī, adv.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.