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icily

American  
[ahy-suh-lee] / ˈaɪ sə li /

adverb

  1. in an icy manner.

    I received him icily because of the harsh way he had treated me.


icily British  
/ ˈaɪsɪlɪ /

adverb

  1. in an icy or reserved manner

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of icily

First recorded in 1840–50; icy + -ly

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.

See Examples For:

Djrum, the project of British musician Felix Manuel, issued “Under Tangled Silence,” an icily pretty record that combined jazzy and neoclassical piano flourishes with fleet and skittering drum programming borrowed from ’90s styles like jungle.

From The Wall Street Journal Nov. 25, 2025

Caroline hugs Ken, and after icily embracing Shiv, kicks off a baby reveal exchange for the ages.

From Salon May 22, 2023

His dreamlike “Fly” series for Bazaar in 1965 featured icily chic models clad in Dior soaring over the streets of Paris or over the tabletops of elegant paneled restaurants filled with well-heeled diners.

From New York Times Sep. 14, 2022

When I pointed out that used bathing suits are akin to used underwear and that no one sells them secondhand, she said, icily: “Cultural differences.”

From Slate Jun. 3, 2021

“I don’t know what you’re trying to say,” she said icily.

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt

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