Obscurely

Part of speech: adverb

Pronunciation: /əbˈskjʊəli/

Definitions

1. In a fashion that lacks clarity, is not easily recognized, or is concealed from perception
2. In a way that is difficult to comprehend, not widely known, or shrouded in ambiguity
3. In a way that makes something hard to see or understand, often intentionally concealed or unclear

Etymology: Obscurely is a plain formation: the adjective "obscure" with the suffix "-ly" attached. The adjective came into English from Latin "obscurus," meaning dark, dim or covered over, and the suffix traces back through Old English "-līċe" to a Proto-Germanic ending that originally formed adjectives meaning "having the form or appearance of" something. So the word's sense of hiddenness is built into its root: the "-ly" simply turns "obscure" into a description of how something is done. Because the suffix is so productive, "obscurely" follows the pattern of thousands of adverbs, and its meaning comes straight from the physical sense of darkness. To act obscurely is to act as though in shadow, where what is happening cannot be clearly seen, which is why the same word covers both a hard-to-understand explanation and a little-known fact.

Synonyms: vaguely, ambiguously

Antonyms: clearly, distinctly