thinglyadj.
/ˈθɪŋli/, U.S. /ˈθɪŋli/ rare before 19th cent.
Characteristic of a thing; of the nature of or resembling a thing.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > existence > reality or real existence or actuality > [adjective] > real or relating to things
thingly?a1450
real1593
thingal1857
thingy1891
?a1450 in C. von Nolcken Middle Eng. Transl. Rosarium Theol. (1979) 96 (MED) Þe body of Criste..in þe crosse..was fleschely & mesurably, bot in þe Oste sacrementaly & multiplyngly; Neþerlesse, boþ maners of beyng, þat is to sey fleschely & sacramentaly, is þingly ynoȝ.
1860 J. W. Palmer tr. M. J. Michelet Love ii. iv. 101 Things have cast off their thingly qualities [Fr. les choses ne sont plus des choses].
1900 Westm. Gaz. 25 July 2/3 The words ‘real presence’ (he adds) meant originally the presence of (res) a thing—if one may say so, a ‘thingly’ presence—i.e., presence as a thing.
1940 Calif. Law Rev. 28 424 Until comparatively recent times millions of enslaved human beings were, for many purposes, thingly.
1996 J. Thomas Time, Culture, & Identity iii. 70 It can be claimed that things have a ‘thingly’ character which goes far beyond whatever we can learn about them as objects.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2008; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.?a1450