Contrastively

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. In a fashion that underscores disparities between two or more elements
2. By highlighting the variations in characteristics when making comparisons
3. In a manner that draws attention to the distinctions between elements

Etymology: "Contrastively" is built from "contrastive" plus the adverbial suffix "-ly," and each half has its own history. "Contrastive" comes from "contrast," which entered English from French and ultimately from Latin "contrastare," meaning "to stand against." The adjective is formed by adding the suffix "-ive," which descends from Latin "-ivus" through Old French "-if," and it was added to "contrast" in English. The adverbial ending traces back much further. It descends from Old English "-līce," which itself came from a Proto-Germanic root meaning "body" or "form," the same root that gives English "like." So an adverb such as "contrastively" literally carries the sense of "in a body-like or form-like manner" of contrasting, a sense that has long since faded from everyday use.

Synonyms: differently, comparatively, distinctively