outwardly
UK: ˈaʊtwədli | US: ˈaʊtwərdli
adv. in appearance or external behavior (though possibly not in reality)
adv. toward the outside; externally
The word "outwardly" combines three morphemes:
- "Out" (Old English ūt), meaning "external" or "away from the center."
- "-ward" (Old English -weard), a directional suffix meaning "toward."
- "-ly" (Old English -līce), an adverbial suffix indicating manner.
Originally, "outward" (out + ward) described physical direction ("toward the outside"). Over time, "-ly" was added to form an adverb, extending its meaning to figurative appearances ("seemingly, externally"). This reflects a shift from spatial to abstract usage, common in English adverbial development.
She smiled outwardly, though she felt uneasy inside.
The building’s outwardly simple design hides complex engineering.
He remained outwardly calm during the crisis.
The fruit is outwardly ripe but sour when tasted.
Policies may change outwardly while core principles stay the same.