passably

English

Etymology

Etymology tree

English passable

Proto-Indo-European *leyg-

Proto-Germanic *līkąder.

Proto-Germanic *-līkaz

Proto-Germanic *-ê

Proto-Germanic *-līkê

Old English -līċe

Middle English -ly

English -ly

English passably

From passable + -ly.

Pronunciation

• Audio (Southern England):

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Adverb

passably (comparative more passably, superlative most passably)

1. In a passable fashion; moderately; adequately.
   • 1938, Norman Lindsay, Age of Consent, 1st Australian edition, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1962, →OCLC, page 14:

     The night air was passably cool and he strolled through the town at a measured pace, killing time till bedtime.