Wantingly

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. In a way that reveals intense longing or desire for something
2. With an expression that conveys a deep sense of yearning or aspiration
3. Exhibiting a pronounced longing or eagerness for something that is absent or needed

Etymology: "Wantingly" is a plain formation: the adjective "wanting," meaning lacking or desiring, with the adverbial suffix "-ly" added to it. "Wanting" itself comes from the verb "want," which in Middle English meant to be lacking or to be without something, a sense that survives in phrases like "found wanting." The desire sense developed later, so the adverb carries both ideas, though the modern meaning of longing is the one it usually conveys. Because it is a straightforward suffixed form, there is little more to trace. The suffix "-ly" comes from Old English "-lic," originally meaning "having the form or appearance of," which is why so many adjectives ending in "-ly" can be turned into adverbs by the same addition.

Synonyms: desiringly, eagerly, longingly, yearningly, cravingly

Antonyms: satisfied, contentedly, disinterestedly, indifferently, unwantingly