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.
having the nature or qualities of
brotherly
godly
occurring at certain intervals; every
daily
yearly
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
And below is a list of most common -ly adverbs by author.
From Slate • Nov. 21, 2013
Adverbs in Malay are not distinguished by any prevailing termination corresponding to the English -ly or the French -ment.
From A Manual of the Malay language With an Introductory Sketch of the Sanskrit Element in Malay by Maxwell, William Edward, Sir
Brightly, bravely.—Here an adjective is rendered adverbial by the addition of the derivative syllable -ly.
From A Handbook of the English Language by Latham, R. G. (Robert Gordon)
Toward, -ly, tō′ward, -li, adj. ready to do or learn: apt.—ns.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements) by Various
In some cases adverbs with -ly are used side by side with those without -ly, but with a different meaning.
From An English Grammar by Sewell, James Witt
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.
