Word
homely
Phoneticshome·ly, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈhoʊmɫi/
UK/hˈəʊmli/
Definition
adj. describing a place or person that feels warm and comfortable, even if it is not fancy. It can also describe someone who is plain-looking or not attractive.
adj. characterised by a warm, cosy, and welcoming atmosphere; alternatively, lacking in physical beauty or sophistication. Often used to describe domestic environments or personal appearance.
Examples
“The old farmhouse has a very homely feel.”
“Despite the lack of modern furniture, the small cottage felt homely because of the warm lighting and the smell of fresh bread.”
“The protagonist's homely appearance was often a source of embarrassment, yet it was precisely this lack of refinement that made him feel most at ease in the working-class community he called home.”
Examples
simple
“The old farmhouse has a very homely feel.”
contextual
“Despite the lack of modern furniture, the small cottage felt homely because of the warm lighting and the smell of fresh bread.”
complex
“The protagonist's homely appearance was often a source of embarrassment, yet it was precisely this lack of refinement that made him feel most at ease in the working-class community he called home.”
Real-World Examples
“Phillips wanted to become an actress until a drama instructor told her she was too short and homely for the stage.” “Other women’s magazines in the UK, at the time, focused on domestic life, family, cooking, recipes, and were very homely.” Etymology
From Middle English homly, hoomly, hamely (“domestic, familiar, plain, unattractive”), from Old English hāmlīċ (“of the home, domestic”), from Proto-West Germanic haimalīk (“of or characteristic of home”), equivalent to home + -ly. Cognate with Scots hamely (“familiar, personal, private”), West Frisian heimelik, Dutch heimelijk (“secret, secretive, clandestine”), German heimlich (“secret, secretive, clandestine, undercover”), Danish hemmelig (“secret”), Swedish hemlig (“secret, concealed, privy, covert”), Faroese heimligur (“homelike, homey”), Icelandic heimlegur (“homely; worldly”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/homely