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Germanic
- The earliest known use of the adjective goodly is in the Old English period (pre-1150). goodly is a word inherited from Germanic.
Sep 28, 2017 · Old English god (with a long "o"), "that which is good, a good thing; goodness; advantage, benefit; gift; virtue; property;" from good (adj.). Meaning "the good side" (of something) is from 1660s. Phrase for good "finally, permanently" attested from 1711, a shortening of for good and all (16c.).
Sep 27, 2024 · From Middle English goodly, goodlich, gōdlich, from Old English gōdlīċ (“ good, goodly ”), from Proto-West Germanic *gōdalīk, from Proto-Germanic *gōdalīkaz (“ good, goodly ”); equivalent to good + -ly.
It may come as a surprise, then, that the word “goodly” also exists in English and was quite common in the past (but it does not mean the same as “well”). “Goodly” is an adjective, not an adverb, and has two different meanings, both of which are rather formal or archaic.
- From The American Heritage® Dictionary of The English Language, 5th Edition.
- From The Century Dictionary.
- From The GNU Version of The Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- From Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
adjective Quite large; considerable.adjective Of pleasing appearance; comely.Good-looking; of fair proportions or fine appearance; graceful; well-favored; well formed or developed: as, a goodly person; goodlyraiment.Pleasant; agreeable; desirable.Considerable; rather large or great: as, a goodlynumber.In a good manner; gracefully; excellently; kindly.adverb obsoleteExcellently.adjective Pleasant; agreeable; desirable.adjective Of pleasing appearance or character; comely; gracefuladjective Large; considerable; portly.adjective archaic good, pleasing in appearanceadjective archaicQuite large; considerable: a goodly sum.adverb obsolete In a goodly way; courteously, graciously.Word Origin. See goodly in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary. Check pronunciation: goodly. Definition of goodly adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
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The term “goodly” may appear uncommon in modern English, but it holds a significant presence in historical texts and literature. Here’s an in-depth look at the word, its usage, and implications.
