Motionlessly

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. Without moving or changing position, remaining completely still and static
2. In a manner characterized by the absence of movement or change, existing in a state of complete stillness and immobility
3. Exhibiting a quality of remaining entirely motionless, thus not engaging in any form of physical activity or alteration

Etymology: "Motionlessly" is a plain formation: the adjective "motionless" with the adverbial suffix "-ly" added to the end. The adjective itself is built from "motion" and "-less", so the word is three layers deep. "Motion" comes from Latin "motio", a noun from "movere" meaning "to move", which entered English through Old French. The suffix "-less" has a much older pedigree, descending from Old English "-lēas", meaning "lacking" or "free from", a sense it still carries in words like "fearless" or "careless". The suffix "-ly" comes from Old English "-līce", a form that once meant "in the manner of" or "having the appearance of" and was attached to adjectives to turn them into adverbs. Over centuries the Old English ending wore down to the single syllable used today, so "motionlessly" describes an action carried out in the manner of something without motion.

Synonyms: still, stationarily

Antonyms: actively, energetically