Alphabetically

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. Arranged in the order of letters as they appear in the alphabet
2. Organized according to the sequence of letters as found in the alphabet
3. Ordered in a manner that follows the standard progression of letters from A to Z

Etymology: "Alphabetically" is a straightforward formation: the adjective "alphabetical" with the adverbial suffix "-ly" added to the end. The adjective itself comes from "alphabet," which traces back through Late Latin "alphabetum" to the Greek "alphabētos," named after the first two letters of the Greek alphabet, alpha and beta. The suffix is far older than the word it sits on. "-ly" descends from Old English "-līċe," itself built from an element meaning "body" or "form," and the same root is behind the adjective "like." Over centuries the Old English form shortened to "-ly" in Middle English, and the ending became the everyday marker that turns adjectives into adverbs in modern English.

Synonyms: in alphabetical order