meaningly

English

Etymology

From Middle English meningli, menyngli, equivalent to meaning +‎ -ly.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈmiːnɪŋli/

Adverb

meaningly (comparative more meaningly, superlative most meaningly)

1. With an implied meaning; with significance; meaningfully.
   • 1907, Barbara Baynton, edited by Sally Krimmer and Alan Lawson, Human Toll (Portable Australian Authors: Barbara Baynton), St Lucia: University of Queensland Press, published 1980, page 286:

     Fascinated, she stood shaken ungovernably by its horrible suggestiveness, while above and about her the trees shivered meaningly.

   • 1969, Vladimir Nabokov, Ada or Ardor, Penguin, published 2011, page 309:

     Ada opened the album at one of its maroon markers meaningly inserted here and there, glanced once, reclicked the clasp, handed the grinning blackmailer a thousand-dollar note that she happened to have in her bag, summoned Bouteillan and told him to throw Kim out.

Related terms

• well-meaningly