archly

[ ahrch-lee ]

adverb

1. in an arch or roguish manner.

Other Words From

• un·archly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of archly¹

First recorded in 1655–65; arch ² + -ly

Example Sentences

But the film itself seems to refer to it, archly, as several critics have noted: In it, Smith gets slapped by his co-star, Martin Lawrence, and called a “bad boy.”

From New York Times

The gentrifying Reagan years that followed gave rise to archly analytic work addressing institutional power.

From New York Times

Her song, the archly titled I Wrote A Song, was a bubbly pop anthem that won approval from fans - but lacklustre staging and a problematic vocal performance torpedoed her chances.

From BBC

That’s essentially what happened when a Northern California man died in early December — a demise that his brother archly and elegantly recounted in an obituary published in The Times.

From Los Angeles Times

Is it - as they archly note - "just to chuck red meat to the Suella brigade" after a bumpy week?

From BBC