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-ally. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
-ally, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
-ally in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
-ally you have here. The definition of the word
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-ally, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Middle English -ally, -alliche, a combination equivalent to -al (adjectival suffix) + -ly (adverbial suffix). The Middle English suffix was originally non-productive, and was from -ly adverbs based on nouns ending an -al. In modern usage the suffix has been reanalyzed and is now treated as a separate, productive suffix.
Pronunciation
Suffix
-ally
- Alternative form of -ly (adverbial suffix), used with adjectives in -ic.
Usage notes
- Three cases should be distinguished: 1.) adjectives in -ic, such as basic, which take the suffix -ally to form adverbs; 2.) adjectives in -ical, like whimsical, which take the suffix -ly; 3.) other adjectives in -al, like original, which take the suffix -ly. Cases 1 and 2 are generally pronounced /-ɪkli/, while case 3 tends to have an extra syllable: /əˈɹɪdʒɪnəli/. Only case 1 is strictly an example of the present lemma.
- The main exceptions to the rule that adjectives in -ic form adverbs in -ally is public, where publicly is much more common than publically, and (im)politic.
Derived terms
Anagrams