SHAPELY (shapelier, shapeliest)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected forms: shapelier    , shapeliest   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does shapely mean? 

• SHAPELY (adjective)
  The adjective SHAPELY has 1 sense:

1. having a well-proportioned and pleasing shape

  Familiarity information: SHAPELY used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SHAPELY (adjective)

Comparative: shapelier   
Superlative: shapeliest   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Having a well-proportioned and pleasing shape

Context example:

a slim waist and shapely legs

Similar:

bosomy; busty; buxom; curvaceous; curvy; full-bosomed; sonsie; sonsy; stacked; voluptuous; well-endowed ((of a woman's body) having a large bosom and pleasing curves)

callipygian; callipygous (pertaining to or having finely developed buttocks)

clean-limbed (having well-proportioned limbs)

full-fashioned; fully fashioned (knitted to fit the shape of the body)

Junoesque; statuesque (suggestive of a statue)

modeled; sculptural; sculptured; sculpturesque (resembling sculpture)

retrousse; tip-tilted; upturned ((used of noses) turned up at the end)

well-proportioned (of pleasing proportions)

well-turned (of a pleasing shape)

Antonym:

unshapely (not well-proportioned and pleasing in shape)

Derivation:

shape (the visual appearance of something or someone)

shapeliness (the quality of having a well-rounded body)

 Context examples 

Seen now, in broad daylight, she looked tall, fair, and shapely; brown eyes with a benignant light in their irids, and a fine pencilling of long lashes round, relieved the whiteness of her large front; on each of her temples her hair, of a very dark brown, was clustered in round curls, according to the fashion of those times, when neither smooth bands nor long ringlets were in vogue; her dress, also in the mode of the day, was of purple cloth, relieved by a sort of Spanish trimming of black velvet; a gold watch (watches were not so common then as now) shone at her girdle.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)