Clearly

How to spell clearly

7 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce clearly

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does clearly mean?

1. adverbIn a way that is easy to see, hear, or understand; without any doubt.

Clearly in a sentence

• The instructions were written so clearly that nobody had questions.

• She spoke clearly into the microphone during the presentation.

Where does clearly come from?

Language of origin: Latin

The base word 'clear' came into English in the 1200s from the Old French 'cler', which traced back to the Latin 'clarus', meaning 'bright, shining, or distinct'. In Latin the word originally described light and sound, so something 'clarus' was either visibly bright or audibly loud and ringing. As the adjective settled into English it broadened to cover transparency, freedom from obstruction, and the idea of being easy to understand. The adverb 'clearly' was then formed in the usual native way by adding the suffix '-ly', which descends from the Old English '-lice' meaning 'in the manner of'. The same 'clarus' root still glows inside relatives like 'declare', 'clarify', and 'clarinet', the last named because of its clear, bright tone.

How the word is built

• clear (from Latin clarus: bright, distinct)
• -ly (adverb suffix)