Serenely

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. In a calm, peaceful, and undisturbed manner, free from anxiety or agitation
2. In a way that demonstrates calmness, tranquility, and a lack of disturbance or anxiety about the surroundings
3. Characterized by a peaceful demeanor, showing composure and an absence of turmoil or distress in behavior

Etymology: "Serenely" is simply "serene" with the adverbial ending "-ly" attached, and that ending has a long pedigree. The suffix descends from a Proto-Germanic word meaning "body" or "form," which became "-lic" in Old English, a shape that gradually wore down into "-ly" in Middle English. So the adverb carries within it an old sense of "in the manner of" or "in the form of," something a manner of acting takes on. The adjective "serene" comes from Latin "serenus," meaning clear, bright or unclouded, and it was used especially of the sky after the clouds have gone. That image of an open, undisturbed sky is the root of the modern sense of calm. Adding "-ly" turns the quality into a way of doing something: to act serenely is to act as a clear sky would, untroubled and unhurried.

Synonyms: calmly, peacefully, tranquilly

Antonyms: anxiously, agitatedly