barely

UK: ˈbeəli | US: ˈberli

Definition

  1. adv. only just; almost not

  2. adv. in a simple and sparse manner

Structure
bare <minimal>ly <adverbial suffix>
Etymology

barely = bare<minimal> + ly<adverbial suffix>

  • bare: From Old English bær ("naked, uncovered"), related to Old High German bar ("bare"). Originally meant "exposed" or "unadorned," later extended to imply scarcity.
  • ly: A common English adverbial suffix derived from Old English -lice, indicating manner or degree.

Etymology Origin:
The word "barely" emerged in Middle English (14th century) by combining "bare" (minimal) with the adverbial suffix "-ly." It originally meant "in a bare manner" (e.g., "barely clothed") but shifted to its modern sense of "only just" by the 16th century, reflecting the idea of something being so minimal it almost doesn’t exist.

Examples

  1. She barely passed the exam, scoring just 60%.

  2. The room was barely furnished, with only a chair and a table.

  3. He could barely hear the whisper in the noisy crowd.

  4. They barely escaped the fire before the roof collapsed.

  5. The plant survived, barely, after weeks without water.