Inhumanly

Part of speech: adverb

Pronunciation: /ɪnˈhjuːmənli/

Definitions

1. In a manner that exhibits a total lack of empathy or warmth
2. Done in a manner lacking any signs of empathy or concern for others ; performed beyond what humans are normally able to achieve
3. Acting in a cruel or heartless way that ignores basic human feelings ; carried out with strength or speed not typical for people

Etymology: Inhumanly is a plain formation: the adjective "inhuman" with the adverb-making suffix "-ly" added to the end. "Inhuman" itself is built from "in-", meaning "not", and "human", so the adverb describes doing something in a way that is not human, which in practice means without pity or mercy. The suffix has a longer history than the word it sits on. It traces back through Old English "-līċe" and Proto-Germanic "*-līkaz", a root related to the idea of body or form, so that "-ly" once carried a sense of "in the manner of" or "having the form of". Over the centuries the Old English ending shortened to "-ly" in Middle English, and it has since become the standard way to turn English adjectives into adverbs.

Synonyms: cruelly, brutally

Antonyms: humanely, kindly