overlightly

O1V4E1R1L1I1G2H4T1L1Y4

adverb

In an overlight manner; too easily or readily; frivolously

Scrabble 21

Meanings

adverboverlightly (comparative more overlightly, superlative most overlightly)

comparative more overlightly · superlative most overlightly

  1. datedIn an overlight manner; too easily or readily; frivolously

    I have heard it said that in these days young people speak overlightly of divorce.

    1904, Good Housekeeping, volume 39, page 403
    4 more examples

    A prudent man doth not overlightly beleeve any thing, but laieth aside all reputation and credit of him that speaketh, and examineth the speech by it selfe: […]

    1589, The French Academie

    Mrs. Burton's conscience smote her not overlightly, and she hastened to change the subject, and to devote herself assiduously to Budge, as if to atone for some injury which she might have done to his brother.

    1877, John Habberton, Other People's Children, page 101

    In short, it is said to do more for builders than agriculturists, and has been, let us hope, overlightly named " The Freemasons' Refuge."

    1878, Eustace Clare Grenville Murray, Round about France, page 146

    They had assumed overlightly that all the twists of seal law had become outmoded tortuosities, and then they barked their shins on one which was instead a taut and bearing rope.

    2016, Karl N. Llewellyn, The Common Law Tradition: Deciding Appeals

Origin

  1. Middle Englishoverlyghtly
  2. Englishoverlightly

From Middle English overlyghtly, over-lightly, equivalent to over- + lightly.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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