Gustily

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. In a manner characterized by sudden, brief bursts of strong wind or air; exhibiting irregular, forceful movement of air; done with gusts or sharp flows of wind
2. Acting with sudden, intermittent blasts of wind; showing stormy, sporadic bursts of air; moving or occurring in brief, powerful puffs or flurries
3. Performed with rapid, strong gusts of breeze; displaying quick, variable surges of wind; done in a way that involves abrupt and energetic air currents

Etymology: "Gustily" is simply "gusty" with the adverb ending "-ly" added, so it describes doing something in the manner of a gust: in sudden, irregular bursts. The adjective "gusty" is itself a plain English formation, built from "gust," a noun that has long meant a sudden blast of wind or a sudden outburst of feeling. The "-y" ending turns that noun into an adjective meaning "marked by gusts," and "-ly" then turns the adjective into an adverb. The pattern is a common one in English. Most adjectives ending in "-y" that describe weather or emotion, such as "windy," "rainy," or "showery," follow the same route, so "gustily" belongs to a large family of words that describe how something moves or happens. Its meaning stays close to its root: whatever happens gustily arrives in jolts, pauses, and returns, the way a wind does when it comes off the sea in short shoves rather than one steady push.

Synonyms: blusteringly, windily, blowingly, tempestuously, stormily

Antonyms: calmly, quietly, gently, softly, peacefully