How do you pronounce fairly?

The recorded pronunciation is /ˈfɛɹ.li/.

Where does fairly come from?

It is traced to Middle English.

fairly

/ˈfɛɹ.li/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.50 in modern English

Syllables: fair-ly
IPA: /ˈfɛɹ.li/

Scrabble Score

Letters

Syllables

Unique Chars

Meaning

adv

In a fair manner; fair; not biased or skewed or favouring a certain party

adv

Favorably; auspiciously; commodiously.

adv

Honestly; properly.

adv

Softly; quietly; gently.

adv

Partly, not fully; somewhat.

adv

Almost; practically.

Dated

adv

Of handwriting: neatly and legibly.

Archaic

Example Sentences

"A jury is expected to ensure that the accused is fairly judged."
"a town fairly situated for foreign trade"
"Consumer laws aim to have consumers fairly treated."
"10. You will be civil and attentive to passengers, giving proper assistance to ladies and children getting in or out, and never start the car before passengers are fairly received or landed."
"They burned the old gun that used to stand in the dark corner up in the garret, close to the stuffed fox that always grinned so fiercely. Perhaps the reason why he seemed in such a ghastly rage was that he did not come by his death fairly. Otherwise his pelt would not have been so perfect. And why else was he put away up there out of sight?—and so magnificent a brush as he had too.[…]."
"The weather this weekend will be fairly dry."

Etymology

From Middle English fayrly, fayrely, vayrliche, equivalent to fair + -ly.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: fayrly

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈfɛɹ.li/
British English: /ˈfɛə.li/

Usage

Inflected Forms

more fairly (comparative) fairlier (archaic, comparative) most fairly (superlative) fairliest (archaic, rare)

Derived Forms

unfairly

Phrases

fairly and squarely

Synonyms

justly frankly cleanly somewhat pretty quite relatively reasonably moderately jolly middling passably

Rhymes With

barely rarely unfairly squarely fairley fairlie wehrli