Raucously

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. In a loud, harsh, and disruptive manner that is unpleasant to hear
2. In a manner that produces a loud and discordant sound, while also being boisterous and causing disturbance to those around
3. Characterized by a rough and jarring noise, reflecting a raucous and unruly atmosphere that may offend sensibilities

Etymology: Raucously is simply "raucous" plus the adverb suffix "-ly," and the adjective itself is the more interesting part. It comes from Latin "rāvis," meaning hoarse, and the Latin "raucus" built on it, which passed into English in the 17th century through the Latin borrowing. The hoarse, rasping quality of a throat, a crow, or a rough voice is the original picture, and the sense of loud, disorderly noise grew out of that harsh vocal quality. The suffix has a long lineage of its own. It descends from a Proto-Germanic form meaning "body" or "form," which became the element "-līc" meaning "having the form of," and in Old English this became "-līce," the source of the adverb ending. Over time "-ly" came to attach to adjectives freely, so "raucously" is a regular formation, not a special coinage, and its meaning follows directly from "raucous."

Synonyms: noisily, loudly, boisterously

Antonyms: quietly, silently