In a way that haunts; suggesting something that remains in the mind disturbingly or memorably, often applied to sounds, images, or feelings.
Adverb formed from 'haunting' (present participle of 'haunt') plus '-ly,' the standard English adverb-forming suffix. The construction follows the regular pattern of turning adjectives into adverbs.
'Hauntingly beautiful' is one of those oxymoronic phrases—pairing something scary with something lovely—and it works perfectly because great art often sits in that uncomfortable space between attraction and unease.
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