excessively
UK[ɪkˈsesɪvli]US[ɪkˈsesɪvli]
adv
to a degree that is too great or beyond reasonable limits
Morpheme Breakdown
ex
cess
ively
ex
out
cess
go
ively
adverb suffix
Etymology
the word "excessively" originates from the latin verb excedere, meaning "to go out, surpass, or depart," which is composed of ex- ("out") and cedere ("to go"). this core idea of "going beyond a limit" passed into english via old french exces. the adjective-forming suffix -ive was added to create "excessive," denoting a quality of surpassing bounds. finally, the adverbial suffix -ly was appended, completing the word's evolution into its modern form, which precisely conveys the manner of an action performed beyond what is normal or acceptable.
Analysis
Structure: ex (out) + cess (go) + ively (adverb suffix)
- ex: latin prefix meaning "out of, from, thoroughly"
- cess: from latin root cedere (to go, yield), appearing here as a substring of the english spelling
- ively: english adverb-forming suffix, from latin -ivus via old french -if/-ive and english -ive + -ly
Examples
she worries excessively about things she cannot control.
the film was criticized for being excessively violent.
he apologized for reacting excessively to the minor criticism.