In a weak or lacking manner, as if affected by anemia; without strength or energy.
From 'anemic' (adjective) + '-ally' (suffix forming adverbs). 'Anemic' comes from Greek roots for 'without blood,' and the adverbial form emerged in English medical discourse during the 1800s.
Writers use 'anemically' metaphorically to describe anything weak or lifeless—a story might unfold anemically, meaning it lacks vitality. This shows how medical terminology seeps into everyday language to describe abstract qualities.
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