lovelikeadj.
/ˈlʌvlʌɪk/, U.S. /ˈləvˌlaɪk/ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > beauty > [adjective]
smickerc725
faireOE
lieflyOE
sheenOE
wenlichc1000
wlitic1000
lovesomec1175
lustya1240
flourisheda1375
lovelya1400
weenc1400
beauteous1435
beautifulc1443
finec1450
pulchriousa1500
speciousa1513
shanda1525
speciosea1525
pulchrousc1540
bonny1580
beauty1598
lovelike1621
killing1634
florid1642
beautied1830
stunning1849
fairsome1862
pulchritudinous1877
beaut1894
loverly1907
1621 M. Wroth Countesse of Mountgomeries Urania 296 Her haire was..of a dainty, and loue-like browne.
2. Of a nature appropriate to love. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > love > [adjective] > of a nature appropriate to love
lovelike1839
1839 P. J. Bailey Festus 338 Musing, as wont, With lovelike sadness, upon sacred things.
a1872 W. Miller Song in Willie Winkie & Other Songs & Poems (1902) 56 The blossom'd hawthorn squander'd Its lovelike sweetness on the air.
1909 T. Hardy Time's Laughingstocks & Other Verses 136 To clasp me in lovelike weather.
1941 Nebraska State Jrnl. 13 Feb. 11/1 ‘What'll it be, darling?’ Tug Nash asked, his tone low and lovelike.
Derivatives
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > beauty > [adverb]
lieflyc900
merelyeOE
fairOE
lovelya1375
featously1377
belliche1394
finelya1400
buttylly1496
lovelilya1500
well-favouredly1528
beautifully1538
beauteously1592
bonnily1595
love-likely1621
bonny1650
beautiful1767
1621 M. Wroth Countesse of Mountgomeries Urania 81 Shee lookt sadly, and wept so loue-likely, as all pittied her.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2008; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1621