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-ibly. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
-ibly, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
-ibly in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
-ibly you have here. The definition of the word
-ibly will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
-ibly, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Alternative forms
Etymology
Euphonic blend of -ible + -ly, due to difficulty of pronouncing *-iblely. Compare same sound change in unrelated feebly, nimbly, and nobly.
Suffix
-ibly
- Used to form adverbs corresponding to adjectives that end in -ible.
- audible → audibly
Usage notes
As with -ably, generally only used to form analogs to adjectives ending in -ible, replacing the existing -ible suffix (respectively -able). Rather than a distinct suffix, this can be considered a class of euphonic blends of “-ble” and -ly, as in feebly, nimbly, and nobly, among others.
Further, as with -ible, generally unproductive as an suffix to existing English words – most words ending in -ibly are derived from words ending in -ible borrowed from Latin or Old/Middle French, not formed by suffixing in English. Productive uses in English include digestibly.
Anagrams