exactly (adv.)

"in an exact manner, with minute correctness," 1530s, from exact (adj.) + -ly (2). Elliptical use for "quite right" not recorded before 1869.

Entries linking to exactly

exact (adj.)

"precise, rigorous, accurate," 1530s, from Latin exactus "precise, accurate, highly finished," past-participle adjective from exigere "demand, require, enforce," literally "to drive or force out," also "to finish, measure," from ex "out" (see ex-) + agere "to set in motion, drive, drive forward; to do, perform" (from PIE root *ag- "to drive, draw out or forth, move").

-ly (2)

common adverbial suffix, forming from adjectives adverbs signifying "in a manner denoted by" the adjective, Middle English, from Old English -lice, from Proto-Germanic *-liko- (cognates: Old Frisian -like, Old Saxon -liko, Dutch -lijk, Old High German -licho, German -lich, Old Norse -liga, Gothic -leiko); see -ly (1). Cognate with lich, and identical with like (adj.).

Weekley notes as "curious" that Germanic uses a word essentially meaning "body" for the adverbial formation, while Romanic uses one meaning "mind" (as in French constamment from Latin constanti mente). The modern English form emerged in late Middle English, probably from influence of Old Norse -liga.

Share exactly

‘cite’

Page URL:

https://www.etymonline.com/word/exactly

HTML Link:

<a href="https://www.etymonline.com/word/exactly">Etymology of exactly by etymonline</a>

APA style:

Harper, D. (n.d.). Etymology of exactly. Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved $(datetime), from https://www.etymonline.com/word/exactly

Chicago style:

Harper Douglas, “Etymology of exactly,” Online Etymology Dictionary, accessed $(datetime), https://www.etymonline.com/word/exactly.

MLA style:

Harper, Douglas. “Etymology of exactly.” Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/exactly. Accessed $(datetimeMla).

IEEE style:

D. Harper. “Etymology of exactly.” Online Etymology Dictionary. https://www.etymonline.com/word/exactly (accessed $(datetime)).

Definitions of exactly

exactly (adv.)

indicating exactness or preciseness; "Properly speaking, all true work is religion."--Thomas Carlyle;

he was doing precisely (or exactly) what she had told him to do

Synonyms: precisely / just / properly

exactly (adv.)

just as it should be;

Synonyms: precisely / on the nose / on the dot / on the button

exactly (adv.)

in a precise manner;

Synonyms: precisely / incisively

From wordnet.princeton.edu

Dictionary entries near exactly

exact

exacta

exacting

exaction

exactitude

exactly

exactness

exaggerate

exaggeration

exalt

exaltation