namely
Americanadverb
adverb
Etymology
Origin of namely
First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English namely, earlier nameliche; see name, -ly
Explanation
The word namely is a way of saying, "That is to say." After the word namely, you find out the specifics of something. We know people and things by their names. Maybe that's why the word namely is used to name the specific details of something that was previously said. You could say, "I have a new job: namely, as a teacher." Maybe you're afraid of an animal, namely, wolves. Namely means almost exactly the same thing as specifically and is followed by an example or examples. This word also works something like the colon, which also introduces information.
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.
Things that once came so easily – namely, speed and winning over one or two lengths of a swimming pool – now look out of reach.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
The director’s method was to work out the specifics in the film’s environments, namely the beaches of Morocco’s Essaouira and in the mountain village of Aït Benhaddou, where Troy was constructed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
I’d also argue that loading up your ramen with as many vegetables as possible, namely leafy greens, is a great way to enjoy your favorite fresh produce, stress-free.
From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2026
The impact of fewer immigrants is very much like that of fewer babies — namely, fewer workers to fund a rapidly growing number of retirees.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 1, 2026
David Hume, in his 1748 book, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, wrote, “There appear to be only three principles of connections among ideas, namely Resemblance, Contiguity in time or place, and Cause or Effect.”
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
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.
