loftily
[ lawf-tuh-lee, lof- ]
/ ˈlɔf tə li, ˈlɒf- /
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adverb
high in the air; in an imposing or towering manner:The speaker raised his fist loftily skywards as he spoke, drawing forth cheers from the crowd.The palace stands loftily at an imposing 2,000 ft above sea level, with an unhindered birds-eye view of a 13th century fort.
in a way that is elevated in rank, style, tone, or sentiment:The editorial begins loftily with a quote from the Roman author Horace.
in an arrogant or condescendingly superior way:I'd be more impressed if the official commissioned a few economic reports, rather than loftily dismissing the arguments of his challengers as “nonsense.”
QUIZ
THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?
Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.
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In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…
OTHER WORDS FROM loftily
o·ver·loft·i·ly, adverbWords nearby loftily
Lofn, Lofoten and Vesterålen, Lofoten Islands, loft, loft building, loftily, Lofting, lofting iron, loftsman, lofty, log
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023