Airily

Part of speech: adverb

Pronunciation: /ˈeɹ.ə.li/

Definitions

1. In a light-hearted and carefree manner that indicates a lack of seriousness or concern
2. Displaying an effortless and breezy attitude with a sense of nonchalance toward a situation or topic at hand
3. Done in a manner that is carefree and suggests disregard for seriousness

Etymology: "Airily" is a plain formation: the adjective "airy" with the adverbial suffix "-ly" added. The adjective "airy" descends from the Latin "āēr" (itself borrowed from Greek "āḗr"), which came into English through Old French "air" in Middle English, where it originally meant the invisible atmosphere surrounding the earth. From that literal sense, "airy" came to describe things that were open to the air, light and insubstantial, and eventually a manner of lightness of mind. The Old English suffix "-līce" (ancestor of modern "-ly") is itself a shortened form of "-lic", "like", so "airily" literally means "in an air-like manner." The sense of carefree disregard for seriousness grows naturally from that picture of something light and unweighted, as in someone who dismisses a problem as if it weighed nothing.

Synonyms: lightly, carefreely, nonchalantly, blithely, jauntily

Antonyms: heavily, seriously, solemnly, weightily