Silently
adverbIn a way that makes no sound, or without speaking.
How to spell silently
8 letters · 3 syllables
How to pronounce silently
Say the part in capitals loudest.
What does silently mean?
- adverbIn a way that makes no sound, or without speaking.
Silently in a sentence
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He slipped silently out of the meeting before it ended.
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She silently read the report while the others talked.
Where does silently come from?
Language of origin: Latin
This word builds on the adjective 'silent', which English took from the Latin silens, the present participle of silere, a verb meaning 'to be quiet' or 'to keep still'. The Latin root entered English in the late 1500s, and writers soon added the native English adverb ending '-ly' to describe an action done without sound or speech. The '-ly' suffix comes from the Old English '-lice', which originally carried the sense of 'having the form or manner of', so 'silently' literally means 'in a silent manner'. The spelling trap sits at the join: the adjective ends in a single 't', and the adverb simply adds '-ly', giving 'silent' plus 'ly' with no doubling and no dropped letter. Related forms such as 'silence' and 'silencer' share the same Latin ancestor and keep the same calm, soundless idea.
How the word is built
- silent (from Latin silens: being still, quiet)
- -ly (adverb suffix)
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