English Online Dictionary. What means lovely? What does lovely mean?
English
Pronunciation
- enPR: lŭv′lē, IPA(key): /ˈlʌv.li/
Etymology 1
From Middle English lovely, luvelich, lufli, from Old English luflīċ, luflīc (“amiable, loving, lovable”), equivalent to love + -ly.
Adjective
lovely (comparative lovelier, superlative loveliest)
- Beautiful; charming; very pleasing in form, looks, tone, or manner.
- Very nice, wonderful.
- (obsolete) Inspiring love or friendship; amiable.
- (obsolete) Loving, filled with love.
Synonyms
- beautiful
- charming
- lovable
- lovesome
- loving
- See also Thesaurus:beautiful
Derived terms
Related terms
- loverly
- lovingly
Translations
Noun
lovely (plural lovelies)
- (informal) An attractive, lovely person, especially a (professional) beauty.
- Synonyms: pretty, darling
- Term of fond address.
- A lovely object.
Translations
Etymology 2
From Middle English lovely, luveliche, from Old English luflīċe (“lovingly, amiably, kindly, dearly, with good will or love, willingly”), equivalent to love + -ly.
Adverb
lovely (comparative more lovely, superlative most lovely)
- (informal) In a lovely fashion or manner; beautifully.
Etymology 3
From Middle English lofly, lovely (“praiseworthy; laudatory”), equivalent to lofe + -ly. Cognate with Dutch loffelijk (“laudable, praiseworthy”), German löblich (“commendable, laudable, praiseworthy”), Swedish lovlig (“permissible”). More at lofe, love.
Adjective
lovely (comparative lovelier or more lovely, superlative loveliest or most lovely)
- (archaic) Worthy of praise.
Anagrams
- volley
Middle English
Etymology 1
Inherited from Old English luflīċ; equivalent to loven (“to love”) + -ly (adjectival suffix).
Alternative forms
- lofly, loveli, lovelich, loveliche, lovelie, lovelyche, lovly, lufely, luffly, lufli, lufly, luflych
- luflich, luvelich (Early Middle English)
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈluv(ə)liː/, /ˈluv(ə)lit͡ʃ/
Adjective
lovely
- Friendly, affectionate, loving (providing love)
- Synonyms: lovable, lovesom
- Lustful, passionate; romantically or sexually charged.
- Lovely, attractive, pleasing.
- Synonym: lovesom
Derived terms
- lovelyly
- luflynes
- unlovely
Descendants
- English: lovely
- Scots: luely
References
- “lǒvelī, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
Etymology 2
Inherited from Old English luflīċe; equivalent to loven (“to love”) + -ly (adverbial suffix).
Alternative forms
- loffely, loveli, loveliche, lovelych, lovelyche, lovelye, lufly, luflych, luveli
- luveliche, luve-like (Early Middle English)
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈluv(ə)liː/, /ˈluv(ə)lit͡ʃ(ə)/
Adverb
lovely
- Nicely, affectionately, lovingly (in a loving way)
- Synonym: lovelyly
- Eagerly, fondly, enthusiastically; with great passion.
- Lustfully, passionately; in a romantically or sexually charged way.
- Wonderfully, marvelously, amazingly.
- (rare) Courteously; in a well-mannered way.
Descendants
- English: lovely
References
- “lǒvelī, adv.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
Etymology 3
Adjective
lovely
- Alternative form of lofly