highly
Americanadverb
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in or to a high degree; extremely.
highly amusing; highly seasoned food.
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with high appreciation or praise; admiringly.
to speak highly of a person.
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more than adequately; generously.
a highly paid consultant.
adverb
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(intensifier)
highly pleased
highly disappointed
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with great approbation or favour
we spoke highly of it
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in a high position
placed highly in class
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at or for a high price or cost
Etymology
Origin of highly
First recorded before 900; Middle English heihliche, Old English hēalīce; equivalent to high + -ly
Explanation
Highly means to a high degree, extremely. A highly dangerous substance is one to stay far away from. If you think very highly of yourself, you give yourself the thumbs up every time you walk by a mirror. Highly comes from the Old English word healice for basically, "honorably," but has also come to mean “very very.” A highly respected writer is one people look up to. A highly regarded politician will probably win an election. Highly also refers to anything that is intense or extreme. A highly flammable chemical can burst into flames easily. The -ly ending is highly common for an adverb.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“The ‘highly pathogenic’ term for avian influenza viruses refers to severity in birds.”
From Salon • Jun. 19, 2024
"This was in a 'highly improved' area of County Kilkenny."
From BBC • Jan. 2, 2024
“Eleven of the 26 on the list were given the distinction of ‘highly recommended.’
From Washington Times • Jul. 16, 2023
Officials warn of new winter COVID-19 wave with new ‘highly transmissible’ variant.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 29, 2021
George IV. replied that he thought it ‘highly unadvisable that Lord William Bentinck should be the successor of the Marquis of Hastings.’
From The Greville Memoirs A Journal of the Reigns of King George IV and King William IV, Vol. I by Reeve, Henry
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
