Recently
adverbAt a point in time not long before the present; a short while ago.
How to spell recently
8 letters · 3 syllables
How to pronounce recently
Say the part in capitals loudest.
What does recently mean?
- adverbAt a point in time not long before the present; a short while ago.
Recently in a sentence
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She recently moved into a flat near the station.
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The company recently updated its refund policy.
Where does recently come from?
Language of origin: Latin
This adverb is built on the adjective 'recent', which English borrowed in the late 1500s from the Latin recens, meaning 'fresh', 'young', or 'new'. The same Latin word could describe newly cut flowers or freshly arrived news, carrying a strong sense of something only just come into being. English passed it through French recent before settling on the modern spelling, and then attached the native adverb-forming suffix '-ly' to turn it into 'recently', meaning 'a short time ago'. The spelling trap is the soft middle 'c', pronounced like an 's', and the unstressed schwa in the second syllable that can tempt writers toward 'recantly' or a doubled letter. Remembering the base word 'recent' keeps the single 'c' and the '-ent' ending firmly in place.
How the word is built
- recent (from Latin recens: fresh, new)
- -ly (adverb suffix)
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