Homely vs Comely - What's the difference?
homely | comely |
(dated) Lacking in beauty or elegance, plain in appearance, physically unattractive.
* 1958 , , Lolita , Chapter 15
(archaic) Characteristic of or belonging to home; domestic.
On intimate or friendly terms with (someone); familiar; at home (with a person); intimate.
* 1563 , , Chapter on William Thorpe
Domestic; tame.
Personal; private.
Friendly; kind; gracious; cordial.
(archaic) Simple; plain; familiar; unelaborate; unadorned.
* 1731 , , Strephon and Chloe, Lines 211-212
* 2001 , Sydney I. Landau, Dictionaries: The Art and Craft of Lexicography , Cambridge University Press (ISBN 0-521-78512-X), page 167,
(dated, of a person) Pleasing or attractive to the eye.
* South
* Milton
* 1918 , (Edgar Rice Burroughs), , Chapter IX
(archaic) Suitable or becoming; proper; agreeable.
* Shakespeare
* Bible, Psalms cxlvii. 1
Comely is a antonym of homely.
In archaic terms the difference between homely and comely
is that homely is simple; plain; familiar; unelaborate; unadorned while comely is suitable or becoming; proper; agreeable.As adjectives the difference between homely and comely
is that homely is lacking in beauty or elegance, plain in appearance, physically unattractive while comely is pleasing or attractive to the eye.homely
English
Alternative forms
* (l) (Scotland)Adjective
(en-adj)- There is none so homely but loves a looking-glass.
- You see, she'' sees herself as a starlet; ''I see her as a sturdy, healthy but decidedly homely kid.
- With all these men I was right homely , and communed with them long and oft.
- Now Strephon daily entertains / His Chloe in the homeliest strains.
- There is no simple way to define precisely a complex arrangement of parts, however homely the object may appear to be.
Antonyms
* comelycomely
English
Adjective
(en-adj)- He that is comely when old and decrepit, surely was very beautiful when he was young.
- Not once perceive their foul disfigurement / But boast themselves more comely than before.
- The chief's name was To-jo, and his household consisted of seven females and himself. These women were much more comely , or rather less hideous than those of Tsa's people; one of them, even, was almost pretty, being less hairy and having a rather nice skin, with high coloring.
- This is a happier and more comely time / Than when these fellows ran about the streets, / Crying confusion.
- It is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely .
