English Explanatory Dictionary

seem

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb

To appear; to look outwardly; to be perceived as.
To befit; to beseem.

Pronunciation

/ˈsiːm/ [ˈsɪi̯m] en-us-seem.ogg

Word forms

seem seems seeming seemed seme

Etymology

From Middle English semen (“to seem, befit, be becoming”), from Old Norse sœma (“to conform to, beseem, befit”), from Proto-Germanic *sōmijaną (“to unite, fit”), from Proto-Indo-European *sem- (“one; whole”). Cognate with Scots seme (“to be fitting; beseem”), Danish sømme (“to beseem”), Old Swedish søma, Faroese søma (“to be proper”). Related also to Old Norse sómi (“honour”) ( > archaic Danish somme (“decent comportment”)), Old Norse sœmr (“fitting, seemly”), Old English sēman (“to reconcile, bring an agreement”), Old English sōm (“agreement”).

Derived words

can't seem meseems misseem seemer seeming seemingly seemless seemlihood seemliness seemly

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