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Definition of lovely

lovely

/ˈlʌv.li/
love · ly

Adverb:lovingly
•
Plural:lovelies
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lovely Lexical Profile

lovely Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Exquisitely beautiful, attractive, or pleasing to the senses.

Example

"The bride wore a lovely lace gown that captivated everyone in the room."


2

Very pleasant, enjoyable, or delightful.

Example

"We had a lovely afternoon strolling through the botanical gardens."


3

Kind, friendly, and warm-hearted in character or disposition.

Example

"Our new neighbors are such lovely people who immediately offered to help us unpack."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• noun

1

An attractive or glamorous person, especially a young woman, or an affectionate term of address for someone dear.

Example

"The photographer took several snapshots of the glamorous lovelies posing on the red carpet."

Synonyms
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Word Nuance & Usage

Despite ending in the suffix '-ly', 'lovely' is almost exclusively an adjective rather than an adverb; to modify a verb in standard English, use an adverb like 'lovingly' or a prepositional phrase such as 'in a lovely manner'.

• Rhymes for lovely

Word Origin & Etymology

From Old English 'luflic', meaning affectionate, amiable, or worthy of love, formed from 'lufu' (love) and '-lic' (-ly).

Cite this Entry


Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Lovely. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/lovely
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