highly
highly Lexical Profile
highly Game Scores & Validity
• adverb
To a great degree or extent; very or extremely.
"She is a highly skilled surgeon with over twenty years of clinical experience."
In favourable, approving, or admiring terms.
"The committee spoke highly of her leadership during the organizational transition."
At or to a high rank, level, status, or rate of pay.
"Only the most experienced engineers are so highly paid in this sector."
Word Nuance & Usage
While both 'high' and 'highly' function as adverbs, 'high' refers to literal physical elevation or rank (e.g., 'fly high', 'aim high'), whereas 'highly' is used figuratively to express degree, intensity, or favorable estimation (e.g., 'highly respected', 'speak highly of').
• Rhymes for highly
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English heighly, derived from Old English heahlice, meaning 'in a high degree' or 'nobly', formed from the adjective heah ('high') and the adverbial suffix -lice ('-ly').