HOMELY

homely, plain

(adjective) lacking in physical beauty or proportion; “a homely child”; “several of the buildings were downright homely”; “a plain girl with a freckled face”

homelike, homely, homey, homy

(adjective) having a feeling of home; cozy and comfortable; “the homely everyday atmosphere”; “a homey little inn”

homely

(adjective) without artificial refinement or elegance; “plain homely furniture”; “homely manners”

homely

(adjective) plain and unpretentious; “homely truths”; “letters to his son full of homely advice”; “homely fare”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Adjective

homely (comparative homelier or more homely, superlative homeliest or most homely)

(North America) Lacking in beauty or elegance, plain in appearance, physically unattractive.

Antonym: comely

(India) Cozy, befitting a home.

(archaic) Characteristic of or belonging to home; domestic. [from early 14th c.]

(UK dialectal) On intimate or friendly terms with (someone); familiar; at home (with a person); intimate.

(UK dialectal, of animals) Domestic; tame.

(UK dialectal) Personal; private.

(UK dialectal) Friendly; kind; gracious; cordial.

(India) Conservative and family-oriented.

(archaic) Simple; plain; familiar; unelaborate; unadorned. [from late 14th c.]

Source: Wiktionary


Home"ly, a. [Compar. Homelier; superl. Homeliest.] Etym: [From Home, n.]

1. Belonging to, or having the characteristics of, home; domestic; familiar; intimate. [Archaic] With all these men I was right homely, and communed with, them long and oft. Foxe. Their homely joys, and destiny obscure. Gray.

2. Plain; unpretending; rude in appearance; unpolished; as, a homely garment; a homely house; homely fare; homely manners. Now Strephon daily entertains His Chloe in the homeliest strains. Pope.

3. Of plain or coarse features; uncomely; -- contrary to handsome. None so homely but loves a looking-glass. South.

Home"ly, adv.

Definition: Plainly; rudely; coarsely; as, homely dressed. [R.] Spenser.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

23 February 2025

BARGAIN

(noun) an advantageous purchase; “she got a bargain at the auction”; “the stock was a real buy at that price”


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Coffee Trivia

The Boston Tea Party helped popularize coffee in America. The hefty tea tax imposed on the colonies in 1773 resulted in America switching from tea to coffee. In the lead up to the Revolutionary War, it became patriotic to sip java instead of tea. The Civil War made the drink more pervasive. Coffee helped energize tired troops, and drinking it became an expression of freedom.

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