Nonthreateningly

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. In a manner that poses no danger or risk to others
2. Acting or communicating in a way that is reassuring and calm
3. Exhibiting a demeanor that encourages comfort and safety without instilling fear

Etymology: "Nonthreateningly" is a plain formation: the adjective "nonthreatening" with the adverb-forming suffix "-ly" attached. "Nonthreatening" itself combines the prefix "non-", meaning "not", with "threatening," the present participle of "threaten," which traces back to Old English "þrēatian" and carries the sense of pressing, troubling or urging someone under menace. Adding "non-" simply reverses that menace, so something nonthreatening poses no danger or intimidation. Attaching "-ly" turns the adjective into an adverb describing how something is done or appears. Someone who approaches nonthreateningly moves in a way that doesn't seem menacing, and the word is mostly used in this sense, often in describing gestures, tone or manner. Its meaning follows directly from its parts, with no surprising shift along the way.

Synonyms: safely, harmlessly, benignly, comfortingly, calmly

Antonyms: threateningly, dangerously, menacingly, alarmingly, frighteningly