really
/ˈɹɪl.i/
Word Rarity
Common
Frequency: Zipf frequency 5.97 in modern English
9
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
3
Syllables
5
Unique Chars
Meaning
adv
intj
Indicating surprise at, or requesting confirmation of, some new information; to express skepticism.
Informal
intj
Indicating surprise at, or requesting confirmation of, some new information; to express skepticism.
Informal
Example Sentences
- "We are to believe that by an extraordinary Conception by Means of the holy Ghost he in an extraordinary MANNER, (unknown to us) really assumed Flesh, and was by her nourished in the Womb and in due Time born in a natural Manner, and that whilst on Earth he was really hungry, and dry, and eat and drank as really as other Men, without, any Deception of Sight in us or Delusion whatsoever."
- "If we take the phenomenal world as it strikes our senses, in all its varied and wonderful powers and aspects; as the mere symbol of the Divine Presence and power, that is, according to Christ, ever in, through, and over all, as really as are causal light, heat and gravity, or as really as our own life and souls pervade every atom of our bodies, [...]"
- "Thus Brahman must be described as ‘really real’, while a rope, or a person, or God Himself, is ‘unreally real’. And it is only the Vedantin who can distinguish the real from the unreal, for to others all seems real."
- ""He really is a true friend." / "Really? What makes you so sure?""
- "But ma, I really, really want to go to the show!"
- "It was a joy to snatch some brief respite, and find himself in the rectory drawing–room. Listening here was as pleasant as talking; just to watch was pleasant. The young priests who lived here wore cassocks and birettas; their faces were fine and mild, yet really strong, like the rector's face; and in their intercourse with him and his wife they seemed to be brothers."
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *(H)reh₁-der. Proto-Indo-European *(H)reh₁ís Proto-Italic *reis Classical Latin rēs Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- Proto-Indo-European *-is Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālis Late Latin reālisder. Old French reelbor. Middle English real Proto-Indo-European *leyg-der. Proto-Germanic *līkąder. Proto-Germanic *-līkaz Proto-Germanic *-ê Proto-Germanic *-līkê Proto-West Germanic *-līkē Old English -līċe Middle English -ly Middle English really English really From Middle English really, realy, rialliche, equivalent to real + -ly.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: really
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈɹɪl.i/
- British English: /ˈɹɪə.li/
Usage
Inflected Forms
more really (comparative)
most really (superlative)
real-ly (alternative)
reälly (alternative)
reallies (present, singular)
reallying (participle, present)
reallied (participle, past)
reallied (past)