truthfully
UK: ˈtruːθfəli | US: ˈtruːθfəli
adv. in a truthful or honest manner
adv. used to emphasize the sincerity of a statement
The word "truthfully" is built from the root "truth," derived from Old English "trēowth" (faithfulness, constancy), combined with the suffix "-ful" (full of), and the adverbial suffix "-ly." The progression reflects a logical expansion: "truth" (the core concept) → "truthful" (adjective: full of truth) → "truthfully" (adverb: in a truthful manner). This structure exemplifies how English layers suffixes to modify word function while preserving the original root's meaning.
She answered the question truthfully, without hesitation.
Truthfully, I don’t remember what happened that night.
He spoke truthfully about his past mistakes.
The witness testified truthfully in court.
Truthfully, this is the best cake I’ve ever tasted.