Subsequently

How to spell subsequently

12 letters · 4 syllables

How to pronounce subsequently

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does subsequently mean?

1. adverbAfterwards, or at a later time following something already mentioned.

Subsequently in a sentence

• The contract was signed on Monday and the funds were subsequently transferred.

• She resigned from the board and subsequently sold all her shares.

Where does subsequently come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This adverb traces back to the Latin verb subsequi, meaning 'to follow closely' or 'to come after', which was built from sub- ('under', and by extension 'after') and sequi ('to follow'). The present participle subsequentem gave rise to the adjective 'subsequent', describing whatever comes next in time or order, and English then added the native adverb ending -ly to form 'subsequently'. The word arrived in English in the fifteenth century, partly through Old French and partly straight from scholarly Latin. The same sequi root sits inside a whole family of familiar relatives, including 'sequence', 'consequence', 'sequel' and 'pursue', all carrying the idea of one thing following another. Remembering that 'sequ' means 'follow' is the key to the spelling, since it explains the qu that writers sometimes drop.

How the word is built

• sub- (after, following)
• sequ (follow)
• -ent (adjective ending)
• -ly (adverb ending)