intimately
UK: ˈɪn.tɪ.mət.li | US: ˈɪn.t̬ə.mət.li
adv. in a close, personal, or private manner
adv. with deep familiarity or detailed knowledge
adv. in a way suggesting emotional or physical closeness
The word "intimately" derives from the Latin intimus (innermost, deepest), which evolved into the English adjective "intimate" (originally meaning "innermost" or "private"). The suffix "-ly" converts it into an adverb, preserving the core idea of closeness—whether emotional, physical, or intellectual. Over time, "intimately" expanded from describing literal proximity (e.g., "known intimately") to abstract connections (e.g., "intimately linked theories").
They spoke intimately, sharing secrets no one else knew.
The artist is intimately familiar with every brushstroke in the painting.
The two issues are intimately connected, though not obviously so.
She described the historical event intimately, as if she had witnessed it.
He understood the machine intimately after years of repairing it.