different between seemly vs mannerly

English

Etymology

From Middle English semely, semelich, semelike, from Old Norse sœmiligr (“seemly”); equivalent to seem +? -ly. Cognate with Icelandic sæmilegur (“seemly, passable”), Danish sømmelig (“seemly”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?si?mli/

Adjective

seemly (comparative seemlier, superlative seemliest)

1. (of behavior) Appropriate; suited to the occasion or purpose; becoming.

   His behavior was seemly, as befits a gentleman.

   • 1594, Richard Hooker, Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie

     Suspense of judgment and exercise of charity were safer and seemlier for Christian men than the hot pursuit of these controversies.

Synonyms

• apposite

Antonyms

• unseemly

Derived terms

• seemlihead
• seemlily
• seemliness

Translations

Adverb

seemly (comparative more seemly, superlative most seemly)

1. Appropriately, fittingly.
   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, II.i:

     The great earthes wombe they open to the sky, / And with sad Cypresse seemely it embraue [...].

Anagrams

• Mesley, Semley

English

Etymology

From Middle English manerly, equivalent to manner +? -ly.

Pronunciation

• (Canada) IPA^(key): /?mæn??li/
• (General New Zealand) IPA^(key): /?m?n?li?/

Adjective

mannerly (comparative more mannerly, superlative most mannerly)

1. Polite, having good manners.
   • 1593, William Shakespeare, Two Gentlemen of Verona

     Lucetta, as thou lov'st me, let me have / What thou think'st meet, and is most mannerly.

   • 1861, Charlotte Yonge, The Young Step-Mother

     ...but Genevieve's laugh roused her again, partly because she thought it less mannerly than accorded with the girl's usual politeness.

Derived terms

• mannerliness

Adverb

mannerly (comparative more mannerly, superlative most mannerly)

1. Politely; with good manners.