homely

The story

1. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*haimalīk“of or characteristic of home”
2. Old English · inherited from*hāmlīċ“of the home, domestic”
3. Middle English · inherited fromhomly
4. English todayhomely

From Middle English homly, hoomly, hamely (“domestic, familiar, plain, unattractive”), from Old English *hāmlīċ (“of the home, domestic”), from Proto-West Germanic *haimalīk (“of or characteristic of home”), equivalent to home + -ly. Cognate with Scots hamely (“familiar, personal, private”), West Frisian heimelik, Dutch heimelijk (“secret, secretive, clandestine”), German heimlich (“secret, secretive, clandestine, undercover”), Danish hemmelig (“secret”), Swedish hemlig (“secret, concealed, privy, covert”), Faroese heimligur (“homelike, homey”), Icelandic heimlegur (“homely; worldly”).

First known use, by meaning

• from early 14th c. Characteristic of, belonging to, or befitting a home; domestic, cosy.
• from late 14th c. Simple; plain; familiar; unelaborate; unadorned.