insufficiently

the word "insufficiently" is built upon the adjective "insufficient," which entered english in the 14th century from latin insufficientem, the present participle of insufficere meaning "to be inadequate." this latin verb itself is a compound of the negative prefix in- and sufficere, meaning "to supply, be adequate," literally "to put under, meet the need of." the adverbial suffix -ly, of germanic origin, was later attached to form the adverb. thus, the term's logical journey is from the literal idea of "not meeting a need from below" to the modern abstract sense of "not to an adequate degree."

Structure: in (not) + sufficient (enough) + ly (adverb suffix) - in: a latin prefix meaning "not". - sufficient: from latin sufficiens, from sub- "under" + facere "to make, do", meaning "adequate, enough". - ly: an old english suffix used to form adverbs from adjectives.