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.
They were later arrested on suspicion of namely entering a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the UK under Section 4 of the National Security Act.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
Almeida is betting that Jev’s pared-down approach will be fast, cheap and repeatable enough to address some of the shortcomings of traditional LLMs, namely their unpredictability.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
Selena’s background was in Tejano, yet she was heavily influenced by heavy-hitters in pop, disco and R&B — namely Jody Watley, Janet Jackson and Donna Summer.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026
“CEO transitions are always a risk,” namely for companies “that are driven by a singular vision,” Morningstar chief equity market strategist Michael Field said.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026
No more, and no less, and it had been designed for the same purpose; namely, the sanctification of power.
From "The Fire Next Time" by James Baldwin
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.
