Partly means to some degree but not completely. It describes something that is only true in part or is only a partial reason for something.
Formed from 'part' plus the adverb suffix '-ly', meaning 'in part'. It has been used in English to indicate incomplete extent since at least the 16th century.
When we say 'partly cloudy' or 'partly true', we’re admitting that reality is rarely all-or-nothing. The word builds a little mental dimmer switch instead of a simple on/off button.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.