-ly
a suffix forming adverbs from adjectives: gladly; gradually; secondly.
-ly
American-
a suffix forming adverbs from adjectives: gladly; gradually; secondly.
-
a suffix meaning “every,” attached to certain nouns denoting units of time: hourly; daily.
-
an adjective suffix meaning “-like”: saintly; cowardly.
-ly
1
British
suffix
-
having the nature or qualities of
brotherly
godly
-
occurring at certain intervals; every
daily
yearly
-ly
2
British
suffix
ly
3
British
abbreviation
Etymology
Origin of -ly
Middle English adverb -li, -lich(e), Old English -līce ( -līc adjective suffix + -e adverb suffix); Middle English adjective -li, -ly, -lich(e), Old English -līc (cognate with German -lich ), suffixal use of gelīc “similar to, like”; see origin at like 1
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:
And below is a list of most common -ly adverbs by author.
From Slate ● Nov. 21, 2013
Wonderly, wondirlie, -ly, wondurly, wondyrly, wounderly, woundyrely, adv. wondrously 5.1, 6.1, 7.1, 8.4, 10.1, 11.1, 12.3, 13.5, 14.4, 16.3, 19.1, 20.6, 24.1, 30.25, 31.25.
From Erthe Upon Erthe by Various
The fact that a word ends in -ly does not make it an adverb.
From An English Grammar by James Witt Sewell
Adverbs in -ly usually have more and most instead of the inflected form, only occasionally having -er and -est.
From An English Grammar by James Witt Sewell
The emphasis on the "-ly" was so pronounced, almost spasmodic, as to bring forth another laughing applause.
From Campfire Girls in the Allegheny Mountains or, A Christmas Success against Odds by Stella M. Francis
But will people be driven away from such land by the infrequent floods, or will they accept the occasional inundation, moving away only temporari ly as needed?
From Nature ● Jun. 10, 2018
This can be done for stars up to about 500 ly away.
From Textbooks ● Aug. 12, 2015
In 1958, When Ray Charles played the Harlem Duke Social Club in the predominantly ly black part of town, only the most adventurous whites might turn up.
From New York Times ● Dec. 31, 2013
Galactic Center Center of Milky Way, 27,000 ly Click again to skip race.
From Slate ● May 16, 2013
But not all adjectives like having ly tacked on to them, especially if they already eand in ly, like ugly, friendly, surly, and jolly.
From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner
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.
