loftily

English

Etymology

Etymology tree

English lofty

Proto-Indo-European *leyg-der.

Proto-Germanic *līkąder.

Proto-Germanic *-līkaz

Proto-Germanic *-ê

Proto-Germanic *-līkê

Proto-West Germanic *-līkē

Old English -līċe

Middle English -ly

English -ly

English loftily

From lofty + -ly.

Adverb

loftily (comparative more loftily, superlative most loftily)

1. To a great height.
   • 1836, Allan Cunningham, Lord Roldan, page 157:

     […] trees, most of them bearing blossom or fruit, rose loftily into the air, and extended their broad leaves like parasols to the sun.

2. With affectation of grandness.
   • 1955, C[live] S[taples] Lewis, The Magician’s Nephew, London: The Bodley Head, →OCLC:

     "I should never dream of calling a kid like you a woman," said Digory loftily.

   • 1959, Anthony Burgess, Beds in the East (The Malayan Trilogy), published 1972, page 475:

     "Can you play the violin?" asked Rosemary loftily, out of a chumbling refined mouth.