-ly — English Dictionary

Suffix

1. Used to form adjectives from nouns, the adjectives having the sense of "behaving like, or having a nature typical of what is denoted by the noun" Similar in meaning to -like but most often paired with animate nouns.

   Usage

   • morpheme

   Examples

   man + -ly → manly

   comrade + -ly → comradely

2. Used to form adjectives from nouns, the adjectives having the sense of "appearing like, resembling, or having the likeness of what is denoted by the noun".

   Usage

   • morpheme

   Examples

   bloom + -ly → bloomly

   muscle + -ly → muscly

3. Used to form adjectives from nouns specifying time intervals, the adjectives having the sense of "occurring at such intervals".

   Usage

   • morpheme

   Examples

   month + -ly → monthly

   day + -ly → daily

Suffix

1. Used to form adverbs from adjectives and nouns.

   Usage

   • morpheme

   Examples

   sudden + -ly → suddenly

   eerie + -ly → eerily

   More examples (10)

   year + -ly → yearly

   gluey + -ly → gluily

   docile + -ly → docilely

   irretrievable + -ly → irretrievably

   sly + -ly → slyly

   whole + -ly → wholly

   ugly + -ly → uglily

   ill + -ly → illy

   subtle + -ly → subtly

   disheartening + -ly → dishearteningly

2. Used to form company or brand names.

   Usage

   • morpheme

   Examples

   book + -ly → Bookly

   musical + -ly → Musical.ly

   More examples (1)

   clue + -ly → Cluely