In a happy, willing, or pleased manner; with a joyful or satisfied attitude.
From Old English 'glæd' meaning 'bright' or 'shining,' which shifted to mean 'happy' or 'pleased.' The '-ly' suffix transforms the adjective into an adverb describing how something is done. The word has cognates in Germanic languages.
The original meaning of 'glad'—'bright' or 'shining'—reveals something beautiful about how ancient people connected happiness with light, suggesting that joy was considered a kind of inner radiance that made you glow!
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