Largely

How to spell largely

7 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce largely

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does largely mean?

1. adverbTo a great extent; for the most part.

Largely in a sentence

• The project was largely funded by private donors.

• Her success was largely due to careful planning.

Where does largely come from?

Language of origin: French

The base word large entered English in the 1100s through Old French large, which in turn came from the Latin largus, meaning 'abundant', 'plentiful', or 'generous'. In its earliest English use large could mean roomy, liberal, or free, only later settling into its modern sense of great in size or amount. The adverb largely was formed within English by adding the native suffix -ly, and at first it carried the sense 'generously' or 'liberally', as in giving largely to charity. Over time that meaning faded and largely came to mean 'for the most part' or 'mainly', which is how it is almost always used today. The spelling keeps the silent e of large intact before the -ly, which is the small point that occasionally trips writers up.

How the word is built

• large (from Latin largus: abundant, generous)
• -ly (adverb suffix)