Goodlier

/ˈɡʊdliər/ adjective

Definition

More comely, handsome, or attractive in appearance; the comparative form of goodly.

Etymology

From Middle English 'goodlich,' combining 'good' and the suffix '-ly' (meaning 'having the quality of'). The comparative form '-er' was added in Early Modern English. Originally meant 'of good appearance' and evolved to mean 'handsome' or 'dignified.'

Kelly Says

In Shakespeare's time, 'goodlier' was the go-to word for describing attractive people—it's basically the fancy ancestor of 'good-looking.' The word shows how languages compress meaning: 'good' + 'like' became a whole adjective for beauty, which is pretty economical thinking.

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