Expressly

How to spell expressly

9 letters · 3 syllables

How to pronounce expressly

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does expressly mean?

1. adverbIn clear and explicit terms, leaving no room for doubt.
2. adverbSpecifically and intentionally, for one particular purpose.

Expressly in a sentence

• The contract expressly forbids subletting the flat without written consent.

• The workshop was designed expressly for managers returning from parental leave.

• She had expressly asked that the meeting begin on time.

• This tool was built expressly to remove rusted bolts in tight spaces.

Where does expressly come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This word descends from the Latin verb exprimere, which literally meant 'to press out' or 'to squeeze out', built from ex- 'out' and premere 'to press'. The past participle expressus came to mean something pressed into clear, distinct shape, and so figuratively 'clearly set forth' or 'plainly stated'. English took the adjective and verb 'express' through Old French in the 1300s, carrying both the idea of forcing something out and the idea of stating it distinctly. The adverb 'expressly' was then formed in the usual English way by adding -ly, and it settled on two related senses: stating something in explicit terms, and doing something for one particular declared purpose. The same premere root still presses through relatives like 'compress', 'impress', and 'pressure', and the double-s in the middle simply preserves the Latin -press- that all of them share.

How the word is built

• ex- (out)
• press (to press, from Latin pressare)
• -ly (adverb suffix)