Behaviorally

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. In a manner associated with the observable actions and reactions of living beings in relation to their surroundings
2. In a way that focuses on the conduct and interactions of entities as they respond to varying stimuli
3. In a manner that pertains to the actions and reactions exhibited by individuals when engaging with their environment

Etymology: The adverb is built from "behavioral" plus "-ly", and "behavioral" in turn is "behavior" with the suffix "-al". The noun "behavior" comes from Middle English "behavour", which descends from Old French "avoir" (to have), combined with the prefix "be-". The Old English verb "behabban" already carried the sense of holding oneself in a certain way, so the core idea is comportment: how one holds and conducts oneself. The "-al" suffix goes back through Old French "-al" and Latin "-ālis", a common adjective-forming ending that turns a noun into a "related to" adjective. The "-ly" ending comes from Old English "-līċe", a form related to "like", so the adverb literally carries the sense of doing something in the manner of a given condition. Put together, the adverb describes actions done in the way living things act and react to their surroundings. Its three parts each contribute something: a prefix meaning around or about, a verb meaning to have, and two endings that turn the result into a description of manner.

Synonyms: conductively, psychologically, socially, actionably, reactively