seemly
seemly Lexical Profile
seemly Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Conforming to accepted notions of good taste, propriety, or decorum; fitting and appropriate to the occasion.
"The diplomat maintained a seemly reserve throughout the tense negotiations."
Pleasing or attractive in appearance; handsome or comely (now literary or archaic).
"The chronicler described the young prince as a seemly youth of noble bearing."
• adverb
In a proper, fitting, or becoming manner; decorously (now rare or literary).
"They conducted themselves seemly and with quiet dignity throughout the solemn ceremony."
Word Nuance & Usage
Although ending in '-ly', 'seemly' functions almost exclusively as an adjective in modern English (e.g., 'seemly behavior') rather than an adverb, and is frequently encountered in its negated form, 'unseemly'.
• Rhymes for seemly
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in Middle English from Old Norse 'sœmiligr' ('honorable, becoming'), derived from 'sœma' ('to honor, conform to').