airily

[ air-uh-lee ]

adverb

1. in a lively or breezy manner; jauntily.
2. delicately; lightly.

airily

/ ˈɛərɪlɪ /

adverb

1. in a jaunty or high-spirited manner
2. in a light or delicate manner

Other Words From

• un·airi·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of airily¹

First recorded in 1760–70; see airy, -ly ( def )

Example Sentences

The play’s snotty actors, meanwhile, clearly consider their foe a proletarian rube and airily patronize him.

From New York Times

“I’m so tired of subjectivity/I must justify my presence by losing it.” she sang, airily, on “Female Vampire,” a 2016 single.

From New York Times

Ricardo Morales, the Philadelphians’ principal clarinet, played his doleful solo with airily glowing tone, a letter from another world.

From New York Times

Instead, it exalts vegetarian textures: tackily chewy barley, softly crunchy cashews, and airily crisp panko.

From New York Times

Casually disdainful and airily patronizing, he is given tremendous gravitas by Harewood, a Black British actor cunningly cast against expectation as a white establishment figure who was taken to task for bigotry more than once.

From New York Times

Related Words

• casually
• delicately
• easily
• faintly
• freely
• gingerly
• mildly
• moderately
• quietly
• simply
• slightly
• softly
• sparsely
• subtly
• tenderly
• thinly