Acutely

How to spell acutely

7 letters · 3 syllables

How to pronounce acutely

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does acutely mean?

1. adverbIn an intense, sharp, or keenly perceptive manner; to a severe or extreme degree.

Acutely in a sentence

• She was acutely aware of how little time remained before the deadline.

• The shortage of skilled staff is felt most acutely in rural hospitals.

Where does acutely come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This word descends from the Latin acutus, meaning 'sharpened' or 'pointed', which is the past participle of the verb acuere, 'to sharpen'. That verb in turn grew from acus, the Latin word for 'needle', so the whole family carries the image of a fine, piercing point. English borrowed the adjective 'acute' in the late 1300s, at first in medical use for sharp pains and short, severe illnesses, and the adverb 'acutely' followed as the natural manner form. Over time the sharpness became figurative as well, describing keen senses or a sharp mind, which is why we can be 'acutely aware' of something. The same acus root quietly survives in words like 'acid', 'acupuncture', and even 'eager', and the simple spelling rule to remember is that 'acutely' is just the adjective 'acute' with '-ly' bolted on, so the silent-looking 'e' stays put.

How the word is built

• acute (from Latin acutus: sharpened, pointed)
• -ly (adverb suffix)