Queenly

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈkwiːnli/

Definitions

1. Possessing the grace, dignity, or majestic bearing characteristic of a female monarch
2. Exhibiting the grandeur, elegance, and authoritative presence traditionally linked to royalty among women
3. Having the regal poise, elegance, and commanding presence associated with a female sovereign

Etymology: "Queenly" is about as plain as English compounds get: it is "queen" with the suffix "-ly" attached. The suffix comes from Old English "-līċ," a word meaning "having the form or appearance of," which is also the source of "like" in its adjective sense. Old English "cwēnlīċ" thus meant "like a queen" or "befitting a queen," and it passed into Middle English as "queenly" and "quenly." The more interesting part is the suffix itself. The same "-līċ" that gives us "queenly" gave us "godly," "manly," and "lovely," and it is one of the most productive endings in English. Its ancestry runs back through Proto-Germanic "*-līkaz" to a root meaning "body" or "form," so the idea behind "queenly" is literally "having the body or shape of a queen."

Synonyms: regal, royal, majestic, noble, gracious

Antonyms: common, ordinary, unremarkable