Firmly
adverbIn a way that is steady, secure, or resolute; without wavering.
How to spell firmly
6 letters · 2 syllables
How to pronounce firmly
Say the part in capitals loudest.
What does firmly mean?
- adverbIn a way that is steady, secure, or resolute; without wavering.
Firmly in a sentence
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She gripped the railing firmly as the bus turned.
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The manager firmly refused to change the deadline.
Where does firmly come from?
Language of origin: Latin
The base word firm comes from the Latin firmus, meaning 'steady', 'strong', or 'stable', which also gave us related words like 'affirm', 'confirm', and 'farm' (originally a fixed, settled rent). English borrowed firm through Old French ferme during the Middle Ages, keeping the sense of something solid and unwavering. The adverb firmly was then formed natively in English by attaching the productive Germanic ending -ly, which descends from Old English -lice meaning 'in the manner of'. So firmly literally means 'in a firm manner', whether physically tight or steadfast in resolve. Because the root simply takes -ly without dropping or doubling any letters, the spelling stays refreshingly regular: firm plus ly.
How the word is built
- firm (steady, solid, secure)
- -ly (adverb suffix)
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