Closely

How to spell closely

7 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce closely

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does closely mean?

1. adverbIn a way that involves little distance, careful attention, or a strong connection.

Closely in a sentence

• The auditors examined the accounts closely before signing off.

• The two cousins worked closely together on the family business.

Where does closely come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This is an adverb formed inside English from the adjective 'close' plus the common adverb-making suffix '-ly', which descends from the Old English '-lice', meaning 'in the manner of'. The root 'close' itself came into English in the 1300s through Old French 'clos', meaning 'shut' or 'enclosed', which traces back to the Latin verb 'claudere', 'to shut'. The original sense was physical, describing things shut up or hemmed in tightly together, and from that packed-together image grew the idea of nearness, both in space and in attention. The same Latin 'claudere' underlies a large family of English words such as 'include', 'conclude', and 'enclosure', all carrying the buried idea of shutting. The spelling keeps the silent 'e' of 'close' intact before the suffix, which is the small detail writers must remember.

How the word is built

• close (near, tight)
• -ly (adverb suffix)