generally

English Online Dictionary. What means generally‎? What does generally mean?

English

Etymology

From Middle English generally, generalliche, equivalent to general +‎ -ly.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈd͡ʒɛn.ɹə.li/, /ˈd͡ʒɛn.ə.ɹə.li/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈd͡ʒɛn.ɚ.li/, /ˈd͡ʒɛn.ɚ.ə.li/, /ˈd͡ʒɛn.ɹə.li/
• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /ˈd͡ʒen.ɹə.li/

Adverb

generally (comparative more generally, superlative most generally)

1. Popularly or widely.

3. As a rule; usually.
4. Without reference to specific details.
6. In the general case, without exception.

7. (obsolete) Collectively; as a whole; without omissions.

Synonyms

• (popularly or widely): commonly
• (as a rule; usually): basically, by and large, commonly, ordinarily, mostly, regularly, wontedly; see also Thesaurus:mostly or Thesaurus:usually or Thesaurus:normally
• (without reference to specific details): generically; see also Thesaurus:generally
• (collectively): collaboratively, en masse; see also Thesaurus:jointly

Derived terms

• generally speaking

Translations

Middle English

Alternative forms

• generali, generaliche, generallich, generalliche, generaly, generalyche

Etymology

From general +‎ -ly (adverbial suffix).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌdʒɛnəˈraː(l)liː/, /ˈdʒɛnəra(l)liː/, /-liːtʃ(ə)/

Adverb

generally

1. exceptionlessly, always (without exception)
2. widely, usually (as a rule)
3. generally (without reference to detail)

Descendants

• English: generally

References

• “ǧenerāllī, adv.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.