The adjective is derived from Middle English comly, comli, cumly, cumlich (“of a person: beautiful, handsome, etc.; of noble birth, bearing, or character; of behaviour: appropriate, becoming; of an event: convenient; favourable; of a thing: beautiful, wonderful; fitting, proper”), from Old English cymlīċ, cȳmlīċ (“beautiful, comely; splendid; convenient”), from cȳme (“beautiful, comely; splendid; exquisite, fine”) + -līċ (suffix meaning ‘like; relating to’ forming adjectives). Cȳme is derived from Proto-Germanic *kūmiz (“delicate; feeble”), from *kūmalīkaz (“dear; pitiful”), probably related to *kūmaz, *kūmijaz (“pitiful; frail, weak”), from Proto-Indo-European *gewH- (“to call, name; to call on, invoke; to cry, cry out”). The word was influenced by come (verb). The verb is derived from the adjective. Cognates Middle Dutch komelick, komlick Middle High German gomelīh, komelīh
› Attractive; visually pleasing; good-looking.
1
Literary, Poetic Of a person: attractive or pleasing to look at; beautiful, handsome; also, attractive but not particularly beautiful or handsome.
a comely woman
Not once perceive their foul disfigurement, / But boaſt themſelves more comely than before1634 October 9 (first performance; Gregorian calendar), [John Milton], edited by H[enry] Lawes, A Maske Presented at Ludlow Castle, 1634: […] [Comus], London: […] [Augustine Matthews] for Hvmphrey Robinson, […], published 1637, →OCLC; reprinted as Comus: […] (Dodd, Mead & Company’s Facsimile Reprints of Rare Books; Literature Series; no. I), New York, N.Y.: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1903, →OCLC, page 3:
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This is properly Venus, Beauty, vvhich kindles the fire of Love in Mankinde: […] VVe ſee many perſons exact, and unaccuſtomable in every part, deſtitute of this grace and comlineſſe; others leſſe perfect in thoſe particular conditions, excellently graceful and comely; […]1656, Tho[mas] Stanley, “[Plato.] A Platonick Discourse, Written in Italian by John Picus Earl of Mirandula, in Explication of a Sonnet by Hieronimo Benivieni.”, in The History of Philosophy, the Second Volume, volume II, London: […] Humphrey Moseley, and Thomas Dring: […], →OCLC, 5th part (Containing the Academick Philosophers), 3rd part of the discourse, scenes VI–VIII, page 116:
He that is comely, when old and decrepit, ſurely was very beautiful, when he was young.1662 November 18 (date delivered; Gregorian calendar); first published 1692, Robert South, “A Sermon Preached at the Cathedral-Church of St. Paul’s, November the 9th, 1662 [Julian calendar]”, in Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions. […], volume I, London: […] J[ohn] H[eptinstall] for Thomas Bennet, […], →OCLC, page 55:
[T]he Bishop of London [Humphrey Henchman], who sat there in a pew, made a purpose for him by the pulpitt, do give the last blessing to the congregation; which was, he being a comely old man, a very decent thing, methought. The Lieutenant of the Tower, Sir J[ohn] Robinson, would needs have me by coach home with him, and sending word home to my house I did go and dine with him, his ordinary table being very good, and his lady [Anne Whitmore] a very high-carriaged but comely big woman; I was mightily pleased with her.1664 March 8 (date written; Gregorian calendar), Samuel Pepys, Mynors Bright, transcriber, “February 28th, 1663–1664”, in Henry B[enjamin] Wheatley, editor, The Diary of Samuel Pepys […], volume IV, London: George Bell & Sons […]; Cambridge: Deighton Bell & Co., published 1894, →OCLC, page 58:
Then had I come, preventing Sheba's Queen, / To ſee the comelieſt of the Sons of Men; […]1718, Mat[thew] Prior, “Solomon on the Vanity of the World. A Poem in Three Books.”, in Poems on Several Occasions, London: […] Jacob Tonson […], and John Barber […], →OCLC, book II (Pleasure), page 448:
2
Literary, Poetic Of a person, an action, behaviour, etc.: meeting accepted moral or social norms; appropriate, becoming, proper.
Doth any contumely vvhich vvee ſuſtaine for religions ſake pierce ſo deeply as […] vvhen they […] trample vnder foote almoſt vvhatſoeuer either vvee or the vvhole Church of God by the ſpace of ſo many ages haue beene accuſtomed vnto for the comlier and better exerciſe of our religion according to the ſoundeſt rules that vviſedome directed by the vvord of God and by long experience confirmed hath beene able vvith common aduice, vvith much deliberation and exceeding great diligence to comprehende; […]1597, Richard Hooker, “In the Seruice of Idols the Doores of Their Temples, the Sacrifices, the Altars, the Priests and the Supplicants that were Present Wore Garlands”, in J[ohn] S[penser], editor, Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, […], 2nd edition, London: […] Will[iam] Stansby [for Matthew Lownes], published 1611, →OCLC, book V, section 65, page 344:
I neuer tempted her vvith vvord too large, / But as a brother to his ſiſter, ſhevved / Baſhfull ſinceritie, and comelie loue.1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, Much Adoe about Nothing. […], quarto edition, London: […] V[alentine] S[immes] for Andrew Wise, and William Aspley, published 1600, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i], signature [F4], recto:
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This is a happier and more comely time, / Then vvhen theſe Fellovves ran about the ſtreets, / Crying Confuſion.c. 1608–1609 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Coriolanus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene vi], page 23, column 2:
Praiſe ye the Lord: for it is good to ſing praiſes vnto our God: for it is pleaſant, and praiſe is comely.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Psalms 147:1, column 2:
Behold hovv comely and good a thing it is for brethren to liue together in vnion: […]1621, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], “Charity, Composed of All Three Kindes, Pleasant, Profitable, Honest”, in The Anatomy of Melancholy, […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and Iames Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition 3, section 1, member 3, page 527:
That as nothing is more ſvveet and delightfull, ſo nothing more comely and agreeable to humane nature then peaceable living, it being (as Solomon ſaith) an honour to a man to ceaſe from ſtrife; and conſequently alſo a diſgrace to him to continue therein: […]a. 1678 (date written), Isaac Barrow, “The Eighth Sermon. Romans 12. 18.”, in Of the Love of God and Our Neighbour, in Several Sermons, volume III, London: […] Miles Flesher, for Brabazon Aylmer, […], published 1680, →OCLC, page 312:
3
Literary, Poetic Of a thing: beautiful, elegant, well-composed; also, delicate, fine.
In ſhootinge at the prickes, haſtye and quicke drawinge is neyther ſure nor yet comely.1544 (date written; published 1571), Roger Ascham, Toxophilus, the Schole, or Partitions, of Shooting. […], London: […] Thomas Marshe, →OCLC; republished in The English Works of Roger Ascham, […], London: […] R[obert] and J[ames] Dodsley, […], and J[ohn] Newbery, […], 1761, →OCLC, book 2, page 162:
4
Literary, Obsolete, Poetic Pleasing to the feelings or senses; agreeable, nice, pleasant.
Oh hovv comely it is and hovv reviving / To the Spirits of juſt men long oppreſt! / VVhen God into the hands of thir deliverer / Puts invincible might1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […].”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 76, lines 279–282:
[T]hey said many kind and comely things about the people they had met.1883, Robert Louis Stevenson, “With the Children of Israel. III. The Return.”, in The Silverado Squatters, London: Chatto and Windus, […], →OCLC, page 93:
The adjective is derived from Middle English comly, comli, cumly, cumlich (“of a person: beautiful, handsome, etc.; of noble birth, bearing, or character; of behaviour: appropriate, becoming; of an event: convenient; favourable; of a thing: beautiful, wonderful; fitting, proper”), from Old English cymlīċ, cȳmlīċ (“beautiful, comely; splendid; convenient”), from cȳme (“beautiful, comely; splendid; exquisite, fine”) + -līċ (suffix meaning ‘like; relating to’ forming adjectives). Cȳme is derived from Proto-Germanic *kūmiz (“delicate; feeble”), from *kūmalīkaz (“dear; pitiful”), probably related to *kūmaz, *kūmijaz (“pitiful; frail, weak”), from Proto-Indo-European *gewH- (“to call, name; to call on, invoke; to cry, cry out”). The word was influenced by come (verb). The verb is derived from the adjective. Cognates Middle Dutch komelick, komlick Middle High German gomelīh, komelīh
One diligent seruiture, skilfull to waight, / more comelieth thy table than other some eight, / That stand for to listen, or gasing about, / not minding their dutie, within nor without.1878, Thomas Tusser, “Lessons for Waiting Seruants”, in Five Hundred Pointes of Good Husbandrie. […], London: Published for the English Dialect Society by Trübner & Co., […], →OCLC; republished as W[illiam] Payne, Sidney J[ohn Hervon] Herrtage, editors, Five Hundred Pointes of Good Husbandrie. […], London: Published for the English Dialect Society by Trübner & Co., […], 1878, →OCLC, stanza 1, page 189:
comely
adv
Etymology From Middle English comli, cumly, cumeliche (“beautifully, handsomely; gracefully; splendidly; fittingly, properly; well”), from Old English cȳme (adjective) (see etymology 1) + Middle English -li (suffix forming adverbs).
1
Archaic, Literary, Poetic Synonym of comelily (“in a comely manner: in an attractive or pleasing manner; in a manner which meets accepted moral or social norms”).
So ſlides he dovvne vppon his greyned bat [i.e., a walking stick]; / And comely diſtant ſits he by her ſide, […]1609, William Shakespeare, “A Louers Complaint”, in Shake-speares Sonnets. […], London: By G[eorge] Eld for T[homas] T[horpe] and are to be sold by William Aspley, →OCLC, signature K2, verso:
T'is very good to vvaſh his hands and face often, to haue faire linnen about him, to be decently and comely attired, for ſordes vitiant, naſtineſſe defiles, & deiects any man that is ſo voluntarily, or compelled by vvant, it dulleth the ſpirits.1621, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], “Rectifying, Retention and Evacuation”, in The Anatomy of Melancholy, […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and Iames Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition 2, section 2, member 2, page 313:
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So may men praiſe their Preacher, he ſpeaks pertinently, or he contrives vvittily, or he ſpeaks comely, […]1651, Jer[emy] Taylor, “[XXVIII Sermons Preached at Golden Grove; Being for the Summer Half-year, […].] To the Right Honourable and Truly Noble, Richard Lord Vaughan, Earl of Carbery, Baron of Emlin, and Molingar, Knight of the Honourable Order of the Bath”, in ΕΝΙΑΥΤΟΣ [Eniautos]. A Course of Sermons for All the Sundays of the Year. […], 2nd edition, London: […] Richard Royston […], published 1654, →OCLC: