Suitably

How to spell suitably

8 letters · 3 syllables

How to pronounce suitably

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does suitably mean?

1. adverbIn a way that is appropriate or right for a particular purpose, occasion, or situation.

Suitably in a sentence

• She arrived suitably dressed for the formal interview.

• The report was suitably detailed for senior management to act on.

Where does suitably come from?

Language of origin: French

This adverb is built on the adjective 'suitable', which in turn grows from the verb 'suit'. 'Suit' came into English in the 1300s from the Old French 'suite' or 'sieute', meaning a following or a set of things that go together, and that traces back to the Latin verb 'sequi', meaning 'to follow'. The idea of one thing following or matching another gave 'suit' its sense of fitting or being appropriate, so to 'suit' someone was for a thing to agree with or match them. By the 1580s English had formed 'suitable' for things that fit or are appropriate, and the adverb 'suitably' followed naturally with the standard -ly ending. The same Latin 'sequi' root quietly survives in relatives like 'sequence', 'consequence', and 'pursue'. For spelling, it helps to see the clean stack of suit plus able plus ly, since the 'e' of 'able' is dropped when -ly attaches only in some words but here the base is simply 'suitable' plus 'ly'.

How the word is built

• suit- (from Latin sequi: to follow)
• -able (capable of/fit for)
• -ly (adverb suffix)