mightly

M3I1G2H4T1L1Y4
/ˈmaɪt li/

adjective

Mighty; competent; capable; strong; powerful.

Scrabble 16

Meanings

mightly1

adjectivemightly (comparative more mightly, superlative most mightly)

comparative more mightly · superlative most mightly

  1. Mighty; competent; capable; strong; powerful.

    King Haco would have ſtay'd, notwithstanding the mightly Power he had to encounter, […]

    1711, Patrick Abercromby, The Martial Atchievements of the Scots Nation
    3 more examples

    […] and the mightly arm of Alcher ſent him like a lion howling among the members of the dead.

    1770, The Lady's Magazine, page 273

    Antilochus joined his grief to their tears: he held the mightly hand of Achilles; for deep he groaned from his inmoſt ſoul.

    1793, William Russell, The History of Ancient Europe

    Month after month law-suits, instigated by the grasping white man against the helpless Indian are decided in favor of the mightly and unscrupulous white.

    1902, The Capital, volumes 15-17, page 2
  2. Substantial; weighty; of import.

    In touching upon these mightly results, which must attend, or soon follow, the completion of Welland Canal, [...]

    1828, Welland Canal Company, The Welland Canal Company
    1 more example

    Mightly indeed must be the Titanic current of that soul which could receive one whole human, full of thoughts, affections, and emotions, into its tide and yet remain uncoloured and unchanged.

    1983, Elizabeth K. Helsinger, THE WOMAN QUESTION Social Issues, 1837-1883
  3. Able; able to occur; possible.

mightly2

adverbmightly (comparative more mightly, superlative most mightly)

comparative more mightly · superlative most mightly

  1. Very.

    "[...] Must have been mightly well corked." "With every possible care, probably. [...]"

    1904, John Ames Mitchell, The villa Claudia
    1 more example

    We need the best material possible, and I believe we have some mightly good material at the present time.

    1922, American Hospital Association, Transactions

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see

Origin

mightly · adjective

  1. Proto-Germanic*mahtilīkaz
  2. Proto-West Germanic*mahtilīk
  3. Old Englishmihtelīċ“possible, able, capable”
  4. Middle Englishmightli
  5. Englishmightly

From Middle English mightli, myȝtly, from Old English mihtelīċ (“possible, able, capable”), from Proto-West Germanic *mahtilīk, from Proto-Germanic *mahtilīkaz, *mahtulīkaz, equivalent to might + -ly. Cognate with Swedish maktlig (“powerful”).

Full word history & related roots →

mightly · adverb

  1. Old Englishmihtlīċe
  2. Middle Englishmyghtely
  3. Englishmightly

From Middle English myghtely, myȝtly, from Old English mihtlīċe, equivalent to might + -ly.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

mightly. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mightly

MLA

“mightly.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mightly. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “mightly,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mightly.

Source: mightly on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.