needly

N1E1E1D2L1Y4
/ˈniːd.li//ˈniː.dəl.i/

adverb

Zealously; carefully; earnestly.

“a needly horn”

Similar
acicular
OriginMiddle English needely ← Old English nēodlīċe →
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Meanings

needly1

adverbneedly (comparative needlier or more needly, superlative needliest or most needly)

comparative needlier · comparative more needly · superlative needliest · superlative most needly

  1. archaicZealously; carefully; earnestly.

needly2

adverbneedly (comparative needlier or more needly, superlative needliest or most needly)

comparative needlier · comparative more needly · superlative needliest · superlative most needly

  1. archaicNecessarily; of necessity.

    Or if sower woe delights in fellowship, And needly will be rankt with other griefes

    c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]
  2. archaicUrgently.

needly3

adjectiveneedly (comparative needlier or more needly, superlative needliest or most needly)

comparative needlier · comparative more needly · superlative needliest · superlative most needly

  1. informalLike a needle or needles.

    a needly horn

    1 more example

    needly beard

    1869, R[ichard] D[oddridge] Blackmore, chapter XXIII, in Lorna Doone: A Romance of Exmoor. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: Sampson Low, Son, & Marston, […], →OCLC

    Synonyms: acicular

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveLike a needle or needles.

Similar
acicular
Also see
urgent

Origin

needly · adverb

  1. Old Englishnēodlīċe“eagerly, earnestly, carefully, zealously, diligently, sedulously; greatly”
  2. Middle Englishneedely
  3. Englishneedly

From Middle English needely, neodliche, from Old English nēodlīċe (“eagerly, earnestly, carefully, zealously, diligently, sedulously; greatly”); equivalent to need (“desire”) + -ly. Cognate with Old Saxon niudlīko (“zealously, carefully”), German niedlich (“desirable, appealing, lovely, cute”).

More words from Middle English, Old English

Full word history & related roots →

needly · adverb

  1. Proto-Indo-European*neh₂w-
  2. Proto-Germanic*naudiz
  3. Proto-West Germanic*naudi
  4. Old Englishnīed
  5. Middle Englishnede
  6. Proto-Indo-European*leyg-
  7. Proto-Germanic*līką
  8. Middle Englishnedely
  9. Englishneedly

Inherited from Middle English nedely. By surface analysis, need (“necessity, need”) + -ly (adverbial suffix). Compare Middle Dutch nodelike, Middle Low German nōtliken, Middle High German nōtliche.

More words from Middle English

Full word history & related roots →

needly · adjective

  1. Proto-Indo-European*(s)neh₁-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*(s)néh₁tlom
  3. Proto-Germanic*nēþlą
  4. Proto-Germanic*nēþlō
  5. Proto-West Germanic*nāþlu
  6. Old Englishnǣdl
  7. Middle Englishnedle
  8. Englishneedle
  9. Englishneedly

From needle + -y.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

LeydenDenleyNedleyDelney
Cite this entry
APA

needly. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/needly

MLA

“needly.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/needly. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “needly,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/needly.

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