Meanings
comparative speedilier · comparative more speedily · superlative speediliest · superlative most speedily
- In a speedy or fast manner.
If they keep marching as speedily as they are now, they should reach us within three days."
1944, H. Lorna Bingham, Tuckonie's Warrior Friend, page 33, column 21 more example
He was speedily reassured, and with a large, white, rascally grin, and a glance at his charge, seemed to take me into partnership in his exalted trust.
1899 February, Joseph Conrad, “The Heart of Darkness”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume CLXV, number M, New York, N.Y.: The Leonard Scott Publishing Company, […], →OCLC, part I, page 205
Synonyms & antonyms
adverbwith speed
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Old English*spēdiġlīċe
- Middle Englishspedily
- Englishspeedily
From Middle English spedily, spedili, from Old English *spēdiġlīċe, ġespēdiġlīċe (“prosperously”), equivalent to speedy + -ly. Cognate with Scots spedely, spedelie (“quickly, speedily”). Compare also Old English spēdlīċe (“effectually, effectively, successfully, efficaciously, powerfully, in a manner which produces a result”).
More words from Middle English, Old English
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian бързо, незабавно
- бързо (bărzo)in a speedy or fast manner
- незабавно (nezabavno)in a speedy or fast manner
Cite this entry
speedily. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/speedily
“speedily.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/speedily. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “speedily,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/speedily.
Source: speedily on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.