Pleasantly

How to spell pleasantly

10 letters · 3 syllables

How to pronounce pleasantly

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does pleasantly mean?

1. adverbIn a manner that is agreeable, friendly, or enjoyable.

Pleasantly in a sentence

• The receptionist greeted every visitor pleasantly and offered them coffee.

• The afternoon passed pleasantly as they walked along the river.

Where does pleasantly come from?

Language of origin: French

The word traces back to the Latin verb placere, meaning 'to please' or 'to be agreeable'. From this came the Old French verb plaisir, whose present participle plaisant described something that gives pleasure. English borrowed plaisant in the 1300s as the adjective 'pleasant', meaning agreeable or enjoyable, and the native adverb suffix -ly was then added to form 'pleasantly'. The same placere root sits inside a family of familiar relatives such as 'please', 'pleasure', 'placid', and 'complacent', all of which carry a sense of calm satisfaction. The spelling trap lies in the unstressed middle: the 'ant' is pronounced as a faint schwa, so writers are tempted toward 'pleasently', and the silent association with 'pleasure' tempts an 'e' that does not belong.

How the word is built

• pleas- (from please, ultimately Latin placere: to please)
• -ant (adjective suffix)
• -ly (adverb suffix)