English [ edit ]

Etymology [ edit ]

thus +‎ -ly, dating from the 19th century, seemingly coined by educated writers to make fun of uneducated persons trying to sound genteel,[1] with a false inference that thus is not an adverb.

Pronunciation [ edit ]

Adverb [ edit ]

thusly (not comparable)

( sometimes proscribed ) thus (in this way). 1865 , Hingston (ed.), Artemus Ward (His Travels) Among the Mormons : Ar, tell me it is not so thusly as this thusness wouldst seem!

1866 , Petroleum V. Nasby, Life of Androo Johnson His course can only be akkounted for thusly :

, Petroleum V. Nasby, 1866 , Harper's Magazine , He had an attack of catarrh not long ago, and it happened, as J. Billings would say, " thusly :"

, , 1893 , Isabel Burton, The Life of Captain Sir Richard F. Burton KCMG, FRGS , volume II: Stories never lose anything in the recital, and consequently this one grew thusly .

1995 December, John P. Wiley Jr, quoting Edward R. Harrison, Smithsonian Magazine : The history of the Universe has been summed up thusly : "Hydrogen is a light, odorless gas, which, given enough time, turns into people."

December, John P. Wiley Jr, quoting Edward R. Harrison, : 1996, Charles Harding, High Rise Dwelling ‎[1]: , Charles Harding, Going thusly, unwillingly at the bell, Answering the call to recycle my time.

Usage notes [ edit ]

Although thusly has diffused into popular usage, it may be regarded as incorrect by some; instead, other equivalent expressions (such as thus or this way) can be used.[1] It originated in the Eastern U.S., and it is still more common in American than British English; it is "often used for amusement or to make an ironic point."[2]

References [ edit ]

thusly at OneLook Dictionary Search

(thusly*1000), thus at Google Ngram Viewer