Exhaustively

Part of speech: adverb

Pronunciation: /ɛɡˈzɔː.stɪv.li/

Definitions

1. In a way that leaves no stone unturned and covers all relevant facets thoroughly
2. Conducted in such a manner that all aspects are meticulously explored and analyzed
3. In a manner that fully covers every detail without omission

Etymology: "Exhaustively" is simply "exhaustive" with the adverbial ending "-ly" attached, so the interesting history lies in the stem. That stem comes from Latin "exhaurire," meaning "to draw out" or "to drain," built from "ex-" ("out") and "haurire" ("to draw up, drink, or scoop"). The Latin verb's past participle "exhaustus" meant "drained out" or "used up," and the adjective "exhaustivus" was formed from it, passing through Medieval Latin "exhaustivus" before reaching English as "exhaustive." The English adjective therefore carries the physical image of emptying a container to its last drop, and the sense of "complete, leaving nothing behind" grew naturally from that idea of drawing something out fully. The adverb "exhaustively" then took the Old English-derived suffix "-ly," which descends from an element meaning "body" or "form," so the word as a whole is a Latin-rooted stem with a Germanic ending.

Synonyms: thoroughly, completely, thorough, thoroughgoing, thoroughly

Antonyms: incompletely, superficially, partially, imperfectly, partly