Selly

Alternative forms

• silly, sillie Scotland

Origin

From Middle English selli, sellich, from Old English sellīc, seldlīc ("rare, strange, wondrous, extraordinary, wonderful; having unusually good qualities, excellent, admirable; select, better, superior, choice"), equivalent to seld + -ly. Cognate with Scots selly, silly ("approved, good, worthy"), Old Saxon seldlīk ("rare, wonderful"), Gothic (sildaleiks, "wonderful").

Full definition of selly

Adjective

1. (UK dialectal, Northern England, Scotland) Rare; wonderful; admirable.

Adverb

1. (UK dialectal, Northern England, Scotland) Wonderfully.

Noun

1. (UK dialectal, Northern England, Scotland) A marvel; wonder; something wonderful or rare.
• 1995, Robert J. Blanch, Julian N. Wasserman, From Pearl to Gawain:The line is a masterstroke of noncommitment, for the event is a "selly" in the sight of some unidentified readers.