consciously
UK[ˈkɒnʃəsli]US[ˈkɑːnʃəsli]
adv
In a way that involves awareness and deliberate intent.
Morpheme Breakdown
con
sci
ously
con
with
sci
know
ously
adverb suffix
Etymology
The word "consciously" is built upon the Latin root scire, "to know," which is also the source of words like "science" and "conscience." The prefix con-, meaning "with," was added to form the Latin conscius, signifying "knowing something with others" or "sharing knowledge," which evolved to mean "aware within oneself." The English adjective "conscious" emerged, meaning "aware of and responding to one's surroundings," and the adverbial suffix -ly was appended to describe the manner of performing an action with such awareness. Thus, the literal progression from "knowing with" to modern "consciously" captures the essence of acting with deliberate, internalized awareness.
Analysis
Structure: con (with) + sci (know) + ously (adverb suffix)
- con: Latin origin, a prefix meaning "with," "together," or "thoroughly."
- sci: Latin origin, from the root scire, meaning "to know."
- ously: English suffix, combining -ous (adjective-forming suffix meaning "full of") and -ly (adverb-forming suffix).
Examples
She made a consciously effort to speak more slowly and clearly.
He was not consciously aware of the influence his words had on others.
The artist consciously broke from tradition to develop a new style.