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
commonly
Frequently or by many people.
Etymology
Latin communis meant shared. Commonly applies that widespread or shared character to an action or condition, describing what many people do or what happens frequently.
Related word entries
- absolutely
- actually
- apparently
- approximately
- badly
- basically
- briefly
- carefully
- certainly
- clearly
- closely
- commonly
- completely
- constantly
- correctly
- deeply
- definitely
- deliberately
- differently
- directly
- entirely
- equally
- exactly
- gently
- happily
- hardly
- heavily
- immediately
- increasingly
- inevitably
- loudly
- newly
- partly
- properly
- purely
- recently
- relatively
- sadly
- shortly
- significantly
- similarly
- simply
- subsequently
- surely
- surprisingly
- terribly
- totally
- truly
- ultimately
- unfortunately
- usually
- virtually
- widely