impartially
UK[ɪmˈpɑːʃəli]US[ɪmˈpɑːrʃəli]
adv
in a way that treats all rivals or disputants equally; without bias or favoritism.
adv
in a way that is not partial; without taking sides.
Morpheme Breakdown
im
partial
ly
im
not
partial
biased
ly
adverb suffix
Etymology
the adverb "impartially" is built upon the adjective "partial," which originates from the latin partialis, meaning "of or pertaining to a part." this, in turn, derives from pars (part). the core semantic shift from "pertaining to a part" to "biased" lies in the concept of favoring one part or side over the whole. the latin negative prefix in- (here assimilated to im- before 'p') was added to form "impartial," meaning "not biased." finally, the old english adverbial suffix -ly, of germanic origin, was appended to create the modern adverb describing the manner of acting without favoritism. thus, the word's logic traces a path from the concrete idea of a "part" to the abstract quality of fairness that considers the whole.
Analysis
Structure: im (not) + partial (biased) + ly (adverb suffix)
- im: a latin prefix meaning "not" or "without", a variant of 'in-' used before 'p'.
- partial: from the english adjective 'partial', meaning "biased" or "favoring one side".
- ly: an old english suffix used to form adverbs from adjectives, indicating manner or quality.
Examples
the judge must consider the evidence impartially.
the committee was tasked with impartially reviewing all applications.
news organizations strive to report events impartially.