meaningly

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English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Middle English meningli, menyngli, equivalent to meaning +‎ -ly.

Pronunciation[edit]

Adverb[edit]

meaningly (comparative more meaningly, superlative most meaningly)

  1. With an implied meaning; with significance; meaningfully.
    • 1907, Barbara Baynton, edited by Sally Krimmer and Alan Lawson, Human Toll (Portable Australian Authors: Barbara Baynton), St Lucia: University of Queensland Press, published 1980, page 286:
      Fascinated, she stood shaken ungovernably by its horrible suggestiveness, while above and about her the trees shivered meaningly.
    • 1969, Vladimir Nabokov, Ada or Ardor, Penguin, published 2011, page 309:
      Ada opened the album at one of its maroon markers meaningly inserted here and there, glanced once, reclicked the clasp, handed the grinning blackmailer a thousand-dollar note that she happened to have in her bag, summoned Bouteillan and told him to throw Kim out.

Related terms[edit]