Make Your Point > Archived Issues > COMELY
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pronounce
COMELY:
Say it "COME lee."
To hear it, click here.
connect this word to others:
Like the words friendly, bubbly, beastly, and wrinkly, our word comely might look like an adverb, but it's an adjective.
Same for the words below. Can you recall each?
1. Something sl____ly looks sloppy, dirty, untidy, or unclean.
2. Something lag____ly is slow and sluggish, like a person who can't keep up.
3. Something tr___ly is way too sweet, like it's made of a thick, sugary substance.
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
definition:
The word "comely" is from Old English and first meant "lovely, delicate."
Today, it's a literary, sophisticated word meaning "beautiful or handsome." In other words, comely people (and things) are good-looking.
grammatical bits:
Part of speech:
Adjective: "her comely face;" "The actors we hire need to be comely."
Other common forms:
The noun is "comeliness."
Sometimes we use "comely" as an adverb. Here's the New York Press: "All Glad's pavement princesses dress so comely."
But the traditional adverb is "comelily." Yes, for real, as in "two Colours being comelily compounded" (Christopher Ness). But unless you're traveling to the year 1690, I recommend avoiding "comelily."
how to use it:
"Comely" is a semi-common word. But if you've never seen it before in your life, that's probably because it appears mostly in literature, the kind that's old-fashioned or just very formal.
"Comely," then, would be a weird one to just plop into a casual conversation. But you might pick it when you're writing something with a formal (or mock-formal) tone.
You might write about comely faces, people, clothing, or hairstyles. Some writers have also described scenes and natural features as comely: "a comely pond," "Everest is not regarded as a particularly comely peak" (Jon Krakauer).
examples:
"What guy?" I said.
"That comely guy with Eric and Peter."
"What's comely?" Alison asked.
"Attractive... good looking... cute..."
"You think he's cute?" I said.
"Yes," Rachel said, "very."
"Then why didn't you just say so in the first place?" I asked.
"Because I like the way comely sounds," Rachel said. "I think it suits him."
— Judy Blume, Just As Long As We're Together, 1987
"Ser Gerris:... tall and lean and comely, with a swordsman's grace and a courtier's wit."
— George R. R. Martin, A Dance With Dragons, 2008
has this page helped you understand "comely"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "comely" without saying "attractive" or "easy on the eyes."
try it out:
Here's the Washington Post's Karen Heller, writing about a flashy new semi-autonomous car:
"The kids are in love, glued to the iDashboard. They want the car. Now. They want to jettison the old, stupid car that knows nothing, could never be confused with a toy and, by comparison, seems as savvy, modern and comely as a mule."
Borrow Heller's joke as you fill in the blanks: "(Something) is as comely as (something that definitely isn't comely)."
before you review, play:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
Our game for February is "Piece It Together."
Use your knowledge of the given terms to define a related, ultra-rare term.
For example, you could use your knowledge of CELLULAR and MULTUM IN PARVO ("a lot in a little") to define the ultra-rare PARVOCELLULAR as "small-celled."
To see the answer, scroll all the way down. Enjoy!
Try this one today:
Use MELLIFLUOUS and GRANDILOQUENCE to define MELLILOQUENT.
review this word:
A. WRY.
B. UGLY.
C. ALOOF.
2. In its natural habitat, the word "comely" is likely to be followed by "_____."
A. spikes.
B. maidens.
C. puzzles.
a final word:
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love.
I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From my blog:
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.
Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.
Like the words friendly, bubbly, beastly, and wrinkly, our word comely might look like an adverb, but it's an adjective.
The word "comely" is from Old English and first meant "lovely, delicate."
Part of speech:
"Comely" is a semi-common word. But if you've never seen it before in your life, that's probably because it appears mostly in literature, the kind that's old-fashioned or just very formal.
"What guy?" I said.
Explain the meaning of "comely" without saying "attractive" or "easy on the eyes."
Here's the Washington Post's Karen Heller, writing about a flashy new semi-autonomous car:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love.
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