-ably
See also: ably
English
editAlternative forms
editEtymology
editPronunciation
edit- IPA(key): /əbli/ (unstressed)
Audio (Southern England): (file)
Suffix
edit-ably
- Used to form adverbs corresponding to adjectives that end in -able.
- suitably
Usage notes
editGenerally only used to form analogs to adjectives ending in -able, replacing the existing -able. Rather than a distinct suffix, this can be considered a class of euphonic blends of -ble and -ly, as in feebly, nimbly, and nobly, among others. Compare -ability, which is more strictly an analog, originating in parallel borrowings from French, sometimes Latin.