Amazingly

Part of speech: adverb

Pronunciation: /əˈmeɪzɪŋli/

Definitions

1. In a way that causes great surprise or wonder
2. With a quality that evokes amazement or astonishment
3. In such a manner as to be remarkably surprising or impressive

Etymology: "Amazingly" is a plain formation: the adjective "amazing" with the suffix "-ly" attached. "Amazing" comes from the verb "amaze," which in turn draws on the Old English "amasian," meaning to stun or bewilder. The "-ly" ending has an older life of its own. It descends from the Proto-Germanic "-līkaz," a word meaning "body" or "form," so that "-ly" once carried the sense of "having the form or appearance of." Over many centuries that sense faded, and the ending came to mark manner: a word like "amazingly" describes the way something happens. The suffix passed through Old English "-līċe" and Middle English "-ly" on its way to modern use. It is one of the most productive endings in English, which is why nearly any adjective can take it without fuss. "Amazingly" follows the same pattern as countless other adverbs, and its meaning depends entirely on the adjective it builds from.

Synonyms: incredibly, astoundingly, remarkably