DictionaryRoot: -ly
English
-ly
in a particular way
Forms
- -ly
- -li- — A spelling sometimes used before another ending.
Origin
Old English -lice, related to lic, “body” or “form,” and the ending that became adjective-forming -ly.
Note
An expression meaning roughly “in the form of” developed into a general way to describe how something happens.
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adverb
extremely
To a very high degree.
Etymology
Extreme denotes the farthest point or highest degree. The adverb presents a quality as approaching that limit, rather than merely being present to an ordinary extent.
Related word entries
- easily
- effectively
- extremely
- fairly
- formally
- fortunately
- frankly
- frequently
- fully
- gradually
- greatly
- highly
- honestly
- hopefully
- initially
- largely
- literally
- luckily
- mainly
- merely
- mostly
- naturally
- nearly
- necessarily
- nicely
- normally
- notably
- obviously
- occasionally
- originally
- particularly
- perfectly
- personally
- physically
- possibly
- practically
- precisely
- presumably
- previously
- primarily
- probably
- quickly
- quietly
- rapidly
- rarely
- readily
- really
- reasonably
- regularly
- respectively
- roughly
- secondly
- seriously
- sharply
- slightly
- slowly
- strongly
- successfully
- suddenly
- typically