Remarkably

How to spell remarkably

10 letters · 4 syllables

How to pronounce remarkably

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does remarkably mean?

1. adverbTo a striking or unusually notable degree; surprisingly so.

Remarkably in a sentence

• The new accountant is remarkably thorough with every expense report.

• Despite the long flight, the children stayed remarkably calm.

Where does remarkably come from?

Language of origin: French

This adverb traces back to the verb 'mark' in the sense of noticing or observing something, which comes from the Old English 'mearc', meaning a boundary, sign, or token. The prefix 're-' was added in French and Latin-influenced English to form 'remark', literally 'to notice again' or 'to take particular note of', borrowed into English in the 1600s from the French 'remarquer'. From there came the adjective 'remarkable', describing something so striking that it is worthy of being noticed, to which the adverb ending '-ly' was attached. The journey explains the spelling: the silent-feeling middle keeps the 'mark' clearly visible, while the '-able' base softens to '-ably' when the adverb is formed. The same 'mark' root still underlies everyday words like 'marker' and 'remark', and recognising that core can help anchor the spelling of the longer adverb.

How the word is built

• re- (again/intensive)
• mark (notice, observe)
• -able (worthy of)
• -ly (adverb)