Wiktionary

lovely

See also: Lovely

English

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English Wikipedia has an article on:
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Pronunciation

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  • enPR: lŭv′lē, IPA(key): /ˈlʌv.li/
  • Audio (US):(file)

Etymology 1

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

Adjective

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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 October, Robert Frost, “[Grace Notes.] Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.”, in New Hampshire […], New York, N.Y.: Henry Holt and Company, →OCLC, page 87:
      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.
Synonyms
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Derived terms
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Translations
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The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Noun

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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.
Translations
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Etymology 2

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

Adverb

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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 3

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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.

Adjective

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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.

Anagrams

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Middle English

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Etymology 1

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

Alternative forms

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Pronunciation

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

Adjective

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lovely

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

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

Alternative forms

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Pronunciation

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

Adverb

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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.
Descendants
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References
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Etymology 3

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Adjective

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lovely

  1. Alternative form of lofly
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