ladylike
/ˈleɪ.di.laɪ̯k/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.46 in modern English
16
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
3
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
adj
Of or related to the appearance or behaviour of a well-mannered woman.
Example Sentences
- "Coniux imperioſa. Ouidius. A ladylike wife that will be obeyed. […] Dura domina, imperioſa. Cic. A rigorous and ladilike dame that will be obeyed."
- "Is it ladylike to giggle? / Is it ladylike to wink? / Is it ladylike to ride a horse astraddle? / Is it ladylike to wiggle? / Is it ladylike to drink? / Is it ladylike upon the beach to paddle? […]"
- "Pirates, these women, with their ladylike briefcases for the loot and their horsy, acquisitive teeth."
- "Mirrin had lifted her second cup of tea, holding it, ladylike, with finger and thumb of her right hand while her left palm supported the saucer."
- "Men prefer feminine women, and there’s nothing feminine about hippos. They can’t walk ladylike, they can’t sit ladylike, and God forbid they should have to run!"
- "So they sent me to an aunt who’d married off the water and kept a shop in Islington. She was kind enough, in her way. Taught me to speak ladylike . . . well, ladylike enough to pass in the shop."
Etymology
From lady + -like.
Word Breakdown
Inflected Forms
more ladylike (comparative)
most ladylike (superlative)
lady-like (alternative)
ladilike (alternative)