Staggeringly

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. In a manner that causes shock or extreme surprise due to its magnitude or unexpectedness
2. In a way that evokes amazement or disbelief because of its extraordinary scale or nature
3. In an astonishing manner that leads to a sense of wonder or incredulity due to its remarkable extent or impact

Etymology: "Staggeringly" is simply "staggering" with the adverbial ending "-ly" added. The adjective "staggering" comes from the verb "stagger," which means to totter or reel on one's feet, and the sense of "overwhelming" grew out of that image of being knocked off balance. The suffix "-ly" has a long pedigree. It traces back through Middle English "-ly" to Old English "-līce," and before that to Proto-Germanic forms built on a root meaning "body" or "form," so that an adverb like this was once, in effect, a description of appearance or manner. In this sense the word is a compound of a root and a suffix rather than a new coinage. The core of the word is therefore a physical picture: something so large or strange that it makes a person stumble. "Staggeringly" carries that jolt into adverbial use, describing how remarkable a thing is, as in "staggeringly expensive."

Synonyms: astonishingly, incredibly, unbelievably, amazing

Antonyms: ordinarily, typically, normally