Presumptuously

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. Demonstrating a level of boldness or assurance that exceeds what is reasonable or justified in a given context
2. Exhibiting an excessive self-confidence that goes beyond the limits of what is appropriate or acceptable in a situation
3. Displaying a level of audacity or confidence that is unwarranted or inappropriate given the circumstances

Etymology: "Presumptuously" is a plain formation: the adjective "presumptuous" with the adverbial suffix "-ly" added to the end. The adjective's own ancestry is more interesting than the suffix, since it traces back through English to a root shared with the verb "lie" in the sense of "to lie down," a sense that passes through the Germanic words for "shape" or "form." The suffix has a long pedigree of its own. It descends from a Proto-Germanic element meaning "body" or "form," which became "-līce" in Old English, and then softened into "-ly" in Middle English. That same piece, once a noun for appearance or bodily form, is why the ending is attached to adjectives to describe the manner in which something is done: an action done in the manner of a "presumptuous" person is done "presumptuously."

Synonyms: arrogantly, haughtily