Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

ruly

/ˈɹuːli/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.14 in modern English

Syllables: ru-ly
IPA: /ˈɹuːli/

7

Scrabble Score

4

Letters

2

Syllables

4

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Pitiable; miserable.

Obsolete

adv

Pitiably; miserably.

Obsolete

adj

Neat and orderly.

Example Sentences

"What is certain is that everything they see is strange: the lifeless neatness of the courtyard, the straightness of the paths, the ruly gang of labourers in their dull uniforms and with their ageless, polished faces."
"1610: John Marston, Histrio-Mastix, page 28 (quarto): [Perpetuana:] Nay Ile be matchlesse for a carckanet,/Whose Pearles and Diamonds plac'd with ruly rocks/Shall circle this faire necke to set it forth [.]"

Etymology

From Middle English rewly, ruly, rewely, reweliche, from Old English hrēowlīċ (“grievous, pitiful, sad, wretched, cruel”), equivalent to rue + -ly.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: rewly, hrēowlīċ, hrēowlīċe, rulé
Suffix: rule

Usage

Obsolete

Inflected Forms

rulier (comparative) more ruly (comparative) ruliest (superlative) most ruly (superlative)

Derived Forms

disruly misruly unruly

Rhymes With

truly well and truly newly julie duly unruly cruelly coolly coolie coulee hooley tule

Questions

How do you pronounce ruly?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈɹuːli/.
What does ruly mean?: Pitiable; miserable.
Where does ruly come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce ruly

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “ruly”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈɹuːli/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “ruly”.
Repeat and practice — Say “ruly” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.