gladly
Meaning
in a willing and happy way
Structure
Usage
she gladly accepted the invitation to speak at the conference.
i would gladly help you move this weekend if you need a hand.
he gladly shared his notes with the new student.
Etymology
The word 'gladly' is a straightforward formation from the adjective 'glad' with the adverbial suffix '-ly'. Its core, 'glad', originates from Old English 'glæd', which carried meanings of bright, shining, and cheerful. This sense of brightness and light metaphorically evolved to denote a state of happiness and pleasure. The addition of the productive Old English suffix '-ly', used to form adverbs of manner, created 'gladlice', which has simplified to the modern 'gladly', meaning in a happy or willing manner.
Analysis
glad (old english, meaning bright, shining, cheerful, happy); ly (old english, adverbial suffix forming manner adverbs from adjectives).