Where does “seemly” come from?
Seemly derives from Middle English semely, from Old Norse sœmiligr, meaning fit or suitable.
seemly (English): Appropriate; suited to the occasion or purpose;...
Definitions
- Appropriate; suited to the occasion or purpose;...
Ancestry of “seemly”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | semly | Attractive, beautiful; aesthetically appealing |
| 2 | Middle English | -ly | Alternative form of -liche |
| 3 | Old English | -līċ | suffix forming {{glossary|adjective}}s meaning... |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | *-līk | — |
Words derived from “seemly”