Loosely

How to spell loosely

7 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce loosely

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does loosely mean?

1. adverbIn a way that is not tight, firm, or precise; slackly or approximately.

Loosely in a sentence

• The bandage was wrapped loosely around his wrist so it would not cut off circulation.

• The film is loosely based on real events, with most of the details invented.

Where does loosely come from?

Language of origin: Old Norse

The word is built on the adjective 'loose', which English took from the Old Norse 'lauss', meaning 'free, unbound, or not fastened down'. That Norse word arrived during the Viking settlements and gradually replaced or reinforced related native forms, all of them tracing back to a common Germanic root meaning 'to release or set free', the same ancestor behind 'lose' and the suffix in words like 'hapless'. The adjective picked up the everyday English adverb ending '-ly' to give 'loosely', describing something done in a slack, relaxed, or imprecise way. The double 'o' and the single 's' are the heart of the spelling trap, because the word is constantly mixed up with the verb 'lose', which keeps only one 'o'. Keeping in mind that 'loose' rhymes with 'goose' and carries the extra 'o' is the simplest way to remember why 'loosely' looks the way it does.

How the word is built

• loose (from Old Norse lauss: free, not fastened)
• -ly (adverb suffix)