Supportably

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. Something that can be justified or upheld with reason
2. Describing a manner of providing aid or assistance that is sustainable and defensible
3. Characterizing a way of being maintained or supported that is acceptable and reasonable

Etymology: "Supportably" is a plain formation: the adjective "supportable" with the adverbial ending "-ly" added. "Supportable" means capable of being endured or sustained, and "supportably" carries that sense into manner, so something is done in a bearable way. The ending is the more interesting part. The "-ly" traces back through Old English "-līce" to a Proto-Germanic root that also gave English "like", and the suffix originally meant "having the form or appearance of" before it became the common mark of adverbs. The same ending turns "quick" into "quickly" and "bold" into "boldly", so the word is built from one of the most productive suffixes in English. Its use with "supportable" reflects the same old idea of form and manner, now attached to the notion of endurance.

Synonyms: sustainably, defensibly