The most handsome, attractive, or dignified in appearance; the superlative form of goodly.
From 'goodly' with the superlative suffix '-est' added. Follows the same evolution as 'goodlier' but represents the highest degree of the quality. Common in Early Modern English literature and biblical translations.
Medieval and Renaissance writers loved stacking superlatives like 'goodliest'—it made descriptions feel more majestic and formal, which is why you see it all over in King James Bible passages and Shakespeare. The '-est' ending is one of humanity's oldest ways of expressing 'the most.'
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