Interpersonally

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. In a manner that pertains to the relationships and interactions between individuals
2. Relating to the ways people engage and establish connections with one another
3. Done or occurring in a way that focuses on communication or interactions between people

Etymology: "Interpersonally" is simply "interpersonal" with the adverbial ending "-ly" attached, so it means "in an interpersonal way." The base word is itself a compound: "inter-", meaning "between" or "among" (from Latin), joined to "personal," which comes from Latin "persona," a mask worn by actors that later came to mean a character or an individual. Put together, the parts describe what happens between persons. The adverb carries that sense into descriptions of actions and behaviour, as in a manager who handles conflict "interpersonally" rather than through rules. Because it is a plain combination of an existing adjective and a suffix, its history is short and transparent, and its meaning follows directly from the parts.

Synonyms: socially, communicatively