ENGLISH DICTIONARY

Homely

Definition, Meaning & Examples

Pronunciation /ˈhəʊmli/ · Part of speech adjective

Quick meaning: Homely is an adjective meaning Characteristic of, belonging to, or befitting a home; domestic, cosy.

Meaning

Characteristic of, belonging to, or befitting a home; domestic, cosy.

More Meanings

  1. (Canada, US) Lacking in beauty or elegance, plain in appearance, physically unattractive.
  2. (UK dialectal) On intimate or friendly terms with (someone); familiar; at home (with a person); intimate.
  3. (UK dialectal, of animals) Domestic; tame.
  4. (UK dialectal) Personal; private.
  5. (UK dialectal) Friendly; kind; gracious; cordial.
  6. (India) Conservative and family-oriented.
  7. Simple; plain; familiar; unelaborate; unadorned.

Example Sentences

There is none so homely but loves a looking-glass.
I am seeking a beautiful homely girl for marriage.
Other homely details in the stories — preparing a salad, diapering a baby
With all these men I was right homely, and communed with them long and oft.

Word Forms

Synonyms for homely

Depending on context, synonyms include plain, simple, comfortable, comfy, unattractive, homy.

Antonyms for homely

Common opposites include comely.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include homelike, homey, homy, plain, comfy, comfortable.

Related Dictionary Tools

Sources & Attribution

FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0

Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.