English Online Dictionary. What means slightly? What does slightly mean?
English
Etymology
From slight + -ly.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈslaɪtli/
- Rhymes: -aɪtli
- Hyphenation: slight‧ly
Adverb
slightly (comparative more slightly, superlative most slightly)
- Slenderly; delicately.
- (degree) To a small extent or degree.
- Synonyms: a little, marginally, somewhat, not much
- Antonyms: quite, very
Usage notes
Slightly is often used by the English to mean almost the opposite, something like rather. For example, "The big picture here of course is that still staggeringly low numbers of these migrants are being hired though, isn't it? And despite these rather positive tales we've just heard, there seems to be a broader, slightly grimmer picture which perhaps will have a lesson for other countries thinking of receiving migrants." (Ed Butler on BBC Business Daily, Sept. 23, 2016)
Derived terms
- slightly-enriched uranium