drunkenly
UK[ˈdrʌŋkənli]US[ˈdrʌŋkənli]
adv
in a way that shows the effects of having drunk too much alcohol
adv
in a manner that is uncontrolled, reckless, or stupefied, as if intoxicated
Morpheme Breakdown
drunken
ly
drunken
adjective suffix
ly
adverb suffix
Etymology
the word 'drunkenly' is built upon the old english past participle 'druncen', which itself evolved from the proto-germanic verb 'drinkaną', meaning "to drink". the '-en' suffix here is a relic of the past participle form, which in english came to be used adjectivally to describe a state resulting from an action, hence 'drunken' meaning "in a state caused by drinking". the addition of the ubiquitous old english adverbial suffix '-ly', derived from proto-germanic '-līkō', transforms the adjective into an adverb, specifying the manner of an action. therefore, 'drunkenly' literally means "in a manner characteristic of one who is in a drunk state," a meaning that has extended metaphorically to describe any reckless or stupefied behavior.
Analysis
Structure: drunken (adjective suffix) + ly (adverb suffix)
drunken: from old english 'druncen', past participle of 'drincan' (to drink), functioning as an adjective-forming suffix meaning "affected by alcohol" or "characteristic of being drunk".
ly: from old english '-līċe', an adverb-forming suffix meaning "in a manner of" or "characteristically".
Examples
he staggered drunkenly out of the bar and into the night.
the revellers sang drunkenly in the town square until the early hours.
after the shocking news, he wandered drunkenly through his decisions, his judgment clouded.