Saturately

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. Characterized by being filled or soaked to the point where no more can be absorbed
2. Describing a state where something has reached maximum capacity for absorption, especially of liquid
3. Indicating a condition in which materials are thoroughly infused or permeated, often resulting in an optimal level of saturation

Etymology: Latin "satur" meant "full" or "sated," and from it came "saturare," "to fill up." English took the past participle "saturatus" as "saturate," which first appeared in the early 1600s, and the adverb is simply that adjective with the English suffix "-ly" attached. The Latin root also gave English "satiate" and "satiety," which share the same sense of having had enough. This adverb is rare, so it is mostly found in technical or descriptive writing, where it describes something done to the fullest possible extent. Its adjective base was itself a fairly late formation, so the adverb is best understood as a close parallel to words like "fully" or "completely" rather than as an older, established term.