delightfullyadv.
/dᵻˈlʌɪtfᵿli/, /dᵻˈlʌɪtfl̩i/, U.S. /dəˈlaɪtfəli/, /diˈlaɪtfəli/ 1. With delight; delightedly.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > pleasure > joy, gladness, or delight > [adverb]
gladlyc900
hightlyOE
blithelyc1000
merryOE
joyfullyc1330
gamelya1375
glada1400
merrilyc1400
joyinglyc1430
gladfully?c1450
joyously1474
deliciously1481
gladsomely1487
mirthfully1508
delightfully?1567
delightingly1602
delightedly1654
on wings1859
?1567 M. Parker Whole Psalter cxix. 358 Queynt thou my hart: delightfully: in things of perfect name.
a1569 A. Kingsmill Conf. containing Conflict with Satan Pref. sig. A.iiij.v in Most Excellent & Comfortable Treat. (1577) It must shutte vp thine eyes from delightfully seeing sinne.
1678 N. Wanley Wonders Little World Ded. sig. Aij These things I have many times delightfully considered of.
1749 C. Wesley Hymns & Sacred Poems (new ed.) I. ii. 247 ‘Forth in Thy Name’, For Thee delightfully [to] employ Whate'er Thy bounteous grace hath given.
1869 London Society Sept. 256/1 Then I am able to go on merrily, with undistracted mind, towards the grandeur and beauty which I am delightfully anticipating.
1924 Nottingham Evening Post 11 Apr. 3/5 The Crown Prince was so delightfully engaged in entertaining the Lady Nymphidia that, on standing up to assist her into the gondola, his foot slipped and he fell into the lake.
2018 M. Obama Becoming x. 132 I was deeply, delightfully in love with a guy whose forceful intellect and ambition could possibly end up swallowing mine.
2. In a delightful manner or to a delightful degree; very pleasantly, charmingly; very pleasingly.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > pleasure > joy, gladness, or delight > quality of causing joy or delight > [adverb]
delightably?c1400
deliciouslyc1405
delectably?a1425
joyfullyc1540
delightfully1576
delightsomely1576
delicately1587
adorably1715
delightingly1810
1576 T. Newton tr. L. Lemnie Touchstone of Complexions i. vi. f. 36v The forhead smoth, cheerefull and vnwrynckled,..and greatly honoured wyth a paire of amyable eyes, not holow, but delightfully standinge out.
1625 F. Bacon Ess. (new ed.) 270 Those which Perfume the Aire most delightfully.
1788 F. Burney Diary 2 Jan. (1842) IV. 6 My dear father was delightfully well and gay.
1847 C. Brontë Jane Eyre II. i. 15 She sang delightfully; it was a treat to listen to her.
1942 Times 13 Oct. 6/7 (advt.) Delightfully warm and cosy house wraps for the Autumn and Winter.
2018 Daily Tel. (Nexis) 28 Sept. (Travel section) 23 At St Kitts you are driven across the island, to the delightfully named Turtle Beach, where a ferry..takes you out of the sheltered bay.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2020; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
adv.?1567