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Germanic
- Earliest known use Old English 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.).
Origin & history I. From Middle English goodly, goodlich, gōdlich, from Old English gōdlīċ ("good, goodly"), from Proto-Germanic *gōdalīkaz ("good, goodly"), equivalent to good + -ly. Cognate with German gütlich ("friendly"), Icelandic góðlegur ("benign").
Sep 27, 2024 · goodly (comparative goodlier, superlative goodliest) (dated) Good; pleasing in appearance; attractive; comely; graceful; pleasant; desirable. Her thighs, whoſe glory did appear, / Like a triumphal Arch, …. Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies.
Goodly comes from an Old English root word, godlic, "excellent, good, or fair." Definitions of goodly. adjective. large in amount or extent or degree. “a goodly amount”. synonyms: goodish, healthy, hefty, respectable, sizable, sizeable, tidy. considerable.
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.
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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.
