Classically

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. In a manner that follows traditional or established principles and standards, or in a way characteristic of ancient Greek and Roman culture
2. In a manner that adheres to established norms or traditions, often relating to the cultures of ancient Greece and Rome
3. In a way that is representative of long-standing conventions, particularly those from classical antiquity

Etymology: "Classically" is simply "classical" with the adverbial "-ly" added, so its history is really the history of the adjective. "Classical" comes from Latin "classicus," which originally meant belonging to the highest class of Roman citizens, the wealthiest group registered for military service, and only later came to mean first-rate or authoritative. That sense of top rank is what lets the word describe the writers and art of ancient Greece and Rome as the standard against which later work is measured. The "-ly" ending descends from an Old English suffix meaning "having the form or appearance of," the same element that gives us "likely" and "lovely." Attached to "classical," it turns the adjective into an adverb describing how something is done: in a manner that follows established, time-tested models.

Synonyms: traditionally, historically, conventionally

Antonyms: modernly