Knowably

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. In a way that is able to be identified or perceived
2. In a manner that permits comprehension or recognition
3. In a manner that allows something to be discovered or understood

Etymology: Knowably is a plain construction: "knowable" plus the adverbial ending "-ly." The adjective "knowable" joins the verb "know," which descends from Old English "cnāwan," with the suffix "-able," which came into English through Old French from Latin "-ābilis," a formation meaning "able to be" the action in question. The adjective appeared in Middle English, and the adverb follows the same pattern as countless other "-ly" adverbs. The "-ly" ending has a longer ancestry than its spelling suggests. It traces back through Old English "-līce" to a Proto-Germanic word meaning "body" or "form," so the original sense was roughly "in the shape of" or "in the manner of." Over centuries, "-līce" wore down to the modern "-ly," which now attaches to adjectives freely to turn them into adverbs. Knowably therefore means "in a way that can be known." Its meaning is transparent, so its history is largely that of its parts.