Eagerly

How to spell eagerly

7 letters · 3 syllables

How to pronounce eagerly

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does eagerly mean?

1. adverbIn a way that shows keen interest, enthusiasm, or impatient desire.

Eagerly in a sentence

• The children waited eagerly for the holidays to begin.

• She eagerly accepted the new job offer.

Where does eagerly come from?

Language of origin: French

This word is built on the adjective 'eager', which English took from Old French 'aigre', meaning 'sharp', 'sour', or 'keen'. That French form descended from the Latin 'acer', meaning 'sharp', 'pointed', or 'pungent', the same root that gives us 'acrid' and 'acid'. When the word arrived in English in the 1300s, it carried the idea of a keen, almost biting sharpness, and from that physical sharpness grew the figurative sense of being keenly desirous or impatient to do something. The adverb 'eagerly' was formed simply by adding the native English '-ly' suffix to describe an action done with such keenness. The spelling trap lies in the '-ger-' middle and the smooth 'ea' opening, since the pronunciation gives little hint that the vowel is written 'ea' rather than 'ee'.

How the word is built

• eager (keen, sharp with desire)
• -ly (adverb suffix)