English Online Dictionary. What means fairly? What does fairly mean?
English
Etymology
From Middle English fayrly, fayrely, vayrliche, equivalent to fair + -ly.
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA(key): /ˈfɛə(ɹ).li/
- (US) IPA(key): /ˈfɛɹ.li/
- Hyphenation: fair‧ly
- Rhymes: -ɛə(ɹ)li
Adverb
fairly (comparative more fairly, superlative most fairly)
- (manner) In a fair manner; fair; not biased or skewed or favouring a certain party
- Synonyms: justly, frankly
- Favorably; auspiciously; commodiously.
- Honestly; properly.
- Softly; quietly; gently.
- (degree) Partly, not fully; somewhat.
- Synonyms: somewhat, pretty, quite, somewhat
- (dated) Almost; practically.
- (archaic) Of handwriting: neatly and legibly.
Usage notes
- This is a non-descriptive qualifier, similar to quite and rather and somewhat, and some other adverbs of degree. Used where a plain adjective needs to be modified, but cannot be qualified. When spoken, the meaning can vary with the tone of voice and stress. He was fairly big can mean anything from "not exactly small" to "almost huge".
Derived terms
- fairly and squarely