seem
/ˈsiːm/ · verb
Meaning
- To appear; to look outwardly; to be perceived as.
- To befit; to beseem.
Etymology / origin
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”).
- sōm(ang)→
- sēman(ang)→
- sœmr(non)→
- somme(da)→
- sómi(non)→
- søma(Faroese)→
- søma(Old Swedish)→
- sømme(Danish)→
- seme(sco)→
- *sem-(ine-pro)→
- *sōmijaną(gem-pro)→
- sœma(non)→
- semen(Middle English)→
- *sem-(ine-pro)→
- seem (English)
- Relations: root, inh, der, der, der, cog, cog, cog, cog, cog, cog, cog, cog, cog
Related words
Descendant words
- semblar(Ido) (bor)
- seman(Old English) (cog)
Sources
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