lovelily

Meanings

1. In a lovely way.
2. In a manner to excite or inspire admiration or love; admirably, beautifully, wonderfully.
3. In a friendly or pleasant manner; amiably, kindly, pleasantly.

Etymology

From Middle English lovelily, lovelyly (“in a friendly manner, graciously, kindly; beautifully; in a seemly manner, with decorum (?)”) [and other forms], from loveli, lovely (“affectionate, friendly, kind; admirable, excellent; amorous; beautiful, lovely; lovable; proper, seemly (?)”, adjective) (from Old English luflīċ (“amiable, dear, likable, pleasant, lovely; worthy of love, lovable”), from Proto-Germanic *leubalīkaz (“lovely”), from *leubaz (“beloved, dear”), from Proto-Indo-European *lewbʰ- (“to admire; to covet, desire, want; to love; to praise”)) + -li (suffix forming adverbs). The English word is analysable as lovely + -ly (suffix forming adverbs).