English Explanatory Dictionary

likely

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Probable; having a greater-than-even chance of occurring.
  2. Reasonably to be expected; apparently destined, probable.
  3. Appropriate, suitable; believable; promising, having a good potential.
  4. Plausible; within the realm of credibility.
  5. Leading with high probability to some specified outcome.
  6. Attractive; pleasant.
  7. Similar; like; alike.
noun
  1. Something or somebody considered likely.
adv
  1. Probably.
  2. Similarly.
name
  1. A surname.
  2. A census-designated place in Modoc County, California, United States.

Pronunciation

/ˈlaɪkli/ en-us-likely.ogg

Word forms

likely more likely likelier most likely likeliest likelies Likelys

Etymology

From Middle English likely, likly, lykly, likliche, from Old English ġelīclīċ (“suitable”) and Old Norse líkligr (“likely”) (probably independent formations), equivalent to like + -ly (adjectival suffix).

Synonyms

liable see synonyms at probably

Derived words

as likely as not likelihood likelily likeliness likely lad likely story more than likely not likely not Pygmalion likely unlikely

Translations

Bulgarian: подходящ Finnish: sopiva Finnish: todennäköinen Hungarian: megfelelő Hungarian: alkalmas Italian: adatto
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