Homely — Home ly, a. [Compar. {Homelier}; superl. {Homeliest}.] [From {Home}, n.] 1. Belonging to, or having the characteristics of, home; domestic; familiar; intimate. [Archaic] [1913 Webster] With all these men I was right homely, and communed with,… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
homely — The connotations of this word as applied to a person (usually a woman) are favourable in BrE, in which it means ‘simple, unpretentious’ and disparaging in AmE, in which it means ‘unattractive, dowdy’: • Homely and welcoming, owners Doug and Karen … Modern English usage
Homely — Home ly, adv. Plainly; rudely; coarsely; as, homely dressed. [R.] Spenser. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
homely — [adj1] ordinary, comfortable comfy, cozy, domestic, everyday, familiar, friendly, homelike, homespun, homey, inelaborate, informal, modest, natural, plain, simple, snug, unaffected, unassuming, unostentatious, unpretentious, welcoming; concepts… … New thesaurus
homely — [hōm′lē] adj. homelier, homeliest [ME homli] 1. Obs. a) of the home; domestic b) HOMELIKE 2. a) characteristic of or suitable for home or home life; simple and unpretentious or plain and everyday … English World dictionary
homely — index familiar (customary), inelegant, nondescript, ordinary Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 … Law dictionary
homely — (adj.) late 14c., of or belonging to home or household, domestic, from M.E. hom home (see HOME (Cf. home) (n.)) + LY (Cf. ly) (2). Sense of plain, unadorned, simple is late 14c., and extension to having a plain appearance, ugly, crude took place… … Etymology dictionary
homely — *plain, simple, unpretentious Analogous words: *familiar, intimate, close: *usual, wonted, customary, habitual: ill favored, *ugly Antonyms: comely, bonny … New Dictionary of Synonyms
homely — ► ADJECTIVE (homelier, homeliest) 1) Brit. simple but comfortable. 2) unsophisticated. 3) N. Amer. unattractive. DERIVATIVES homeliness noun … English terms dictionary
homely — homeliness, n. /hohm lee/, adj., homelier, homeliest. 1. lacking in physical attractiveness; not beautiful; unattractive: a homely child. 2. not having elegance, refinement, or cultivation. 3. proper or suited to the home or to ordinary domestic… … Universalium
