Dolesomely

/ˈdoʊlsəmli/ adverb

Definition

In a dolesome manner; with sorrow, melancholy, or a mournful quality (archaic).

Etymology

From dolesome (adjective) + -ly (adverbial suffix). Another archaic formation that appears in historical texts but has been largely displaced by more modern alternatives like 'dolefully.'

Kelly Says

This is a word that shows how English constantly prunes its vocabulary—we had three ways to say 'sorrowfully' (dolefully, dolently, dolesomely) but kept only one, leaving the others as traces of languages that could have been.

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